MYFUTURE Education and Careers Guide 2021/22

my future

https://diversityinclusions.com

2021/22

EDITION

EDUCATION AND CAREERS GUIDE

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Contents

Apprenticeships 28

Creative, Arts & Media 38

Education 54

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Emergency Services 146

5

Foreword

I’m pleased to welcome you to MyFuture, the fourth issue of our Education

and Careers Guide formally entitled BAME. As you have come to expect,

our goal is to lay out potential career options for 16 to 25 year olds and

start them on their aspirational journeys. As ever, our goal is to lay out

potential career options and inspire them to bigger and better things –

but in light of the disruption to education caused by COVID over the last

couple of academic years, and the renewed importance of early careers

and lifelong learning in the disrupted recruitment market, we felt we

should expand the age group we cater for – to the early and mid 20s.

Our magazine aims to raise the

aspiration levels of young people

from BAME backgrounds looking

for career choice guidance

and information on further

education and apprenticeship

opportunities. To promote

professional career paths, best

practice, and supply useful

information about the various

entry level job options available

– and to show clear examples of

where they can lead.

The delayed Tokyo Olympics

have starkly demonstrated

(if such a demonstration was

necessary) that excellence

breeds excellence, success

breeds success. Those who have

gone before clear a path, break

glass ceilings, and provide both

general positivity and inspiration

as role models, as well as

concrete help and advice. To

that end, we again include case

studies of successful individuals,

some of whom have just started

in their chosen careers and

others who are more established.

They relate their experiences and

provide helpful tips for those

seeking to emulate that success.

Times are changing, and in the

last few years many companies

and other organisations have

woken up to the fact that they

need to institute active measures

for implementing change in the

complexion of their teams and

what they represent.

Diversity and inclusion are now

buzzwords trending in every

boardroom and at every career

fair. But what does this mean in

practice? Does this lead to root

and branch change to all aspects

of organisational structures, or

has it become a routine tick box

exercise that HR departments

do for appearances sake? We

investigate further.

COVID-19 has forced many

businesses to direct their

employees to work from home

and it has become a cliché

to welcome this as ‘the new

normal’. Digitally connectivity

may create only pluses for some,

particularly those with years of

experience, good contacts and

settled careers, but there are

minuses created by the lack of

physical connection, particularly

for those (of all ages) who are

mainly in learning mode. The

ability to constantly check

where you are on a project, to

compare how you are doing, to

judge what the shifting priorities

should be, to see if there’s a

better way of doing it – these

are the ways most people have

traditionally learned their craft.

Independent working may lead

to an individual steaming off in

the wrong direction, with the

wrong information or the wrong

set of priorities, or just simply

picking up bad habits that may

prove difficult to shed.

Seeing your professional

colleagues in action day to

day has always been to way

to develop. The shortcuts, the

jargon, modes of speech and

behaviour. The good, the bad,

how they react under pressure,

you learn to discern and judge

by example what cannot be

taught. The discipline of getting

up early and commuting to

work, the structure created to

the working day, the ability to

have informal get togethers

with peers and managers –

over lunch, while making coffee,

after work. Humans, being

social animals, have evolved to

communicate face to face. New

technology might be a great

extra to have, but whether it is

possible to completely replace

the physical with the digital –

only time will tell.

For those who find themselves

confused by a tsunami of online

information, or those who find

themselves isolated and awash

in the wake of COVID, we hope

this professional careers guide

will help.

6

Welcome

Welcome to the MyFuture: Education & Careers Guide 2021/22

Helen Grant MP

Helen Grant qualified as a Solicitor

and founded her own successful

legal practice in 1994.

In 2010 she was elected as the

Conservative Party’s first Anglo-

African female MP and has since

served as Minister for Women

and Equalities, Minister for Justice

and Minister for Sport. She later

became the Conservative Party’s

Vice Chairman for Communities

and the Chair of the Government’s

Apprenticeship Diversity

Champions Network.

Most recently she was appointed

as the Prime Minister’s UK Trade

Envoy to Nigeria.

I am delighted to have been

invited to introduce this edition

of the MyFuture Education

& Careers Guide. Diversity

and inclusion are topics that

are very close to my heart,

being a woman from a diverse

background who came through

the comprehensive school

system to pursue a professional

career in law, in business and

then in politics.

Getting a good education was

paramount. It offered me choice

and opportunity and the same

is true today if you put your

mind to it. If you aim high and

work hard, you can achieve

whatever you wish.

“Apprenticeships,

can provide

life changing

opportunities for

young people to

‘earn whilst they

learn’ and offer

bespoke training

with a direct path

into a career.”

Many of you will be reading this

with uncertainty about your

career path, or unclear about

how to pursue the next steps in

a chosen direction. Included in

this edition are a range of superb

opportunities which can help

and guide you. It also highlights

some inspiring stories of young

people who are making their

way in their chosen career.

I am particularly pleased about

the focus on apprenticeships,

which can provide life changing

opportunities for young people

to ‘earn whilst they learn’ and

offer bespoke training with a

direct path into a career.

I hope that you will find the

information helpful, that you

will be inspired by some of the

opportunities available and

that it will help you believe in

yourself, to achieve your own

ambitions, no matter how lofty

they may appear at this stage.

I wish you the very best of luck

in whatever path you choose

to take, and never let anyone

put you off trying to achieve

your goals.

Very best wishes

my future

PURVEYORS OF PUBLISHING EXCELLENCE

About This

Guide

The aim of the guide

is to provide young

people from diverse

backgrounds with

relevant information and

guidance to aim high

and gain the confidence

they need to think

of themselves as the

leaders of tomorrow.

8

9

THE CBI:

CHANGING

THE RACE

RATIO

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) is a not-for-profit organisation

that works to create the best environment for business and economic

growth, whose members include businesses of all sizes operating in the UK.

Because the members it represents are business leaders and policymakers

who are in a position to effect change, it is the most influential business

organisation in the country.

In October last year, working alongside major

companies including Deloitte, Aviva and Microsoft,

the CBI launched ‘Change the Race Ratio’ – a

campaign to increase racial and ethnic participation

in British businesses, especially in senior leadership

and at board level. It is modelled on the 30 Per Cent

Club campaign, which has successfully battled to get

more women into boardrooms.

The initiative is spearheaded by Lord Karan Bilimoria,

CBE, DL, a crossbench peer, best known as the

founder of Cobra beer, and the first ethnic minority

president of the CBI in its 55-year history.

It has a stated target of at least one racially and

ethnically diverse board member at every FTSE 100

company by the end of 2021 and at every FTSE 250

firm by 2024. Subscribers to the campaign commit

themselves to transparent reporting on ethnic

representation at senior levels – Board, ExCo and

ExCo minus one – and to revealing their ethnic pay

gap by 2022.

10

“No matter where you look

– there’s so much hard,

quantifiable evidence,

showing that diverse

businesses are more

profitable, more innovative,

and more competitive.”

ORIGINS

Lord Bilimoria said he began work on his campaign long

before the Black Lives Matter protests that swept the

country last summer. “I came to the UK as a 19-year-old

student from India in the 1980s and it is a very different

country now,” he explained.

“People warned me back then that, ‘You will never get

to the top as a foreigner, there will be a glass ceiling’,

and I’m afraid to say at that time, they were right. That

was over three decades ago. Over these decades, I have

seen – in front of my eyes – that glass ceiling being well

and truly shattered. Today I am the first ethnic minority

President of the CBI. This is all thanks to the amazing

opportunities I have been given here in the UK.

“Now it has totally changed. This country wouldn’t be

the sixth largest economy in the world without the

contribution of ethnic minorities.”

WHY NOW?

Change the Race Ratio makes the economic case for

how diversity and inclusion can help the UK’s economic

recovery, arguing that no company can afford to let

diversity and inclusion slip down the priority list in

uncertain times.

Firms with diverse boards outperform those that do

not, Lord Bilimoria claimed, adding, “The business case

is well proven.

“No matter where you look – there’s so much hard,

quantifiable evidence, showing that diverse businesses

are more profitable, more innovative, and more

competitive.”

A review by industrialist Sir John Parker into ethnic

diversity in UK boards, commissioned by the

government in 2016, found fewer than 7% of FTSE 350

directors are from BAME backgrounds.

Separately, a report by Baroness McGregor-Smith,

a former boss of outsourcing firm Mitie, found that

dismantling barriers in the workplace could boost the

economy.

“A lack of ethnic diversity in business is costing the

UK £24 billion a year in lost GDP,” said Lord Bilimoria.

“Firms with the lowest gender and ethnic diversity in

their executive teams are 27% less likely to be profitable.

In the case of ethnic and cultural diversity, we know

top-quartile companies outperform those in the bottom

quartile by 36% in profitability.

“And when employees feel included in the workplace

their ability to innovate increases by 83%.

“It’s about creating that environment, and that culture

where everyone feels they can belong, and everyone

feels they can reach their highest potential.

“Diversity works. It’s not just the right thing to do –

it’s good business. And in an environment so uncertain,

so hard-hit by COVID and preparing for a new trading

relationship with the EU, no business can afford to

miss out.”

The thinking behind this is that companies with diverse

leadership teams are better able to understand and

cater for the full range of their customers. It is also

believed they are less likely to suffer mistakes made

through ‘group think’ than those run solely by people

from very similar backgrounds.

11

Research by McKinsey showed that firms with the

lowest rates of both gender and ethnic diversity in their

executive teams were 27% less likely to be profitable.

27% more chance of failure.

“The time has come for a concerted campaign on racial

and ethnic participation in business leadership. Progress

has been painfully slow,” said Lord Bilimoria.

“We want to do for racial and ethnic diversity what the

30% Club has done so successfully for gender equality.

“A decade ago, the government review into women

on boards – led by my colleague in the House of

Lords, Lord Davies, set a target to increase female

representation at the top of industry – to 25%. Ten years

later, there’s only one FTSE 350 company that doesn’t

have a woman on their board.

“In fact today, 33% of FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 board

members are women. And we need to keep building

on this momentum to make sure that – one day soon –

boards are truly representative.” Bilimoria added.

THE HUMAN COST

Carolyn Fairbairn, the CBI’s first female director general,

has championed ethnic pay reporting.

She stated, “Building workplaces that have the best of

all of our talent, from all walks of life, has never been

more important. For the UK to globally compete for

people and skills, every business leader has a role to

play in convincing the quiet sceptics of the importance

of diversity and inclusion for UK recovery.”

Ethnic pay reporting will be modelled on the gender

gap rules. These require firms with more than 250

staff to calculate and publish the average salary

and bonus figures for men and women. The gender

statistics revealed that men are paid significantly more

than women, although the reasons why must also be

investigated in more detail.

Evidence suggests BAME employees are paid

substantially less well than their white British

equivalents. A study by the Resolution Foundation think

tank found they are missing out on £3.2 billion a year of

pay compared with white colleagues. The foundation

revealed the pay gap was as high as 17% for black male

graduates.

As Lord Bilimoria pointed out, “This isn’t just about

money, there’s a real human cost, and legacy of pain

here when people are discriminated against, because

of who they are, what they look like, or where they

come from. “Generations of lives lost. Hopes shattered.

Opportunities denied.”

“So when – eventually – the trials of this pandemic pass

and they will let none of us forget its greatest lesson:

that we are responsible for and beholden to, each other.”

CBI Director-General Tony Danker stated, “For me, this

is first and foremost a moral question. I have always

believed that companies are superb institutions in

helping people get in and on in life.

“But still too many people, because of their gender,

race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, background,

or circumstance, find themselves unfairly held back.

Their route barred, and talents ignored. I believe that

no-one should have to experience that.

“And I believe that business – among all institutions in

society – should be best placed to solve this problem.

We are fast, we work in teams, we help people fulfil

their potential.

“But it’s not just moral, it’s money!”, Danker added.

“However, you cut the data, diverse and inclusive firms

come out stronger and more agile. They have a better

talent proposition and a better customer offer. Diverse

companies capture all the prizes available.”

MEANINGFUL ACTION, CONCRETE CHANGE

Tony Danker continued, “What a year for this agenda.

First came shock; and then came shows of support. But

they’re only worth a dime if we now move rapidly to

meaningful action and concrete change. Change you

can see. Change you can measure. And change that

makes a material difference to people’s lives.

To achieve that, we can’t just speak about one aspect

of diversity and inclusion without also understanding

the importance of all others, and how they intersect to

make up someone’s experiences.”

Commenting on the impact of COVID, Matthew Fell,

the CBI’s Chief UK Policy Director, stated that the

pandemic not only triggered a global health crisis, a

global economic downturn but also a social awakening

moment, with different levels of severity impacting

different groups. “Without action, there is a danger

that the economic downturn will stall or even reverse

progress on diversity and inclusion.

“Women and people from an ethnic minority

background have been among the most affected by

the pandemic and the economic fallout. Given they

represent three-quarters of the part-time labour force,

women were hit hard when part-time jobs fell 70% in

the first eleven weeks of the pandemic, according to

the Institute of Fiscal Studies. Individuals from BAME

communities are more likely to work in occupations

with a higher risk of COVID-19 exposure, this includes

the health and social care workforce.

“There is also an economic impact – BAME workers

are over a third more likely than white workers to be in

temporary work or zero-hours contracts.”

However, Matthew Fell went on to state that he

was “incredibly proud, and humbled, by the huge

momentum we’ve seen so far (with the Change the

Race Ratio campaign). We have four asks we want

every business listening to consider in their own

companies.

“The current crisis has also provided the opportunity

to implement flexible working and mental health and

wellbeing policies on a grand scale. The way in which

employers engage with employees has changed.

According to the Employment Trends Survey, more

12

than eight in ten firms (82%) have increased

communication with their staff to keep in touch

with employees while almost a third of firms (64%)

increased flexible working arrangements to prioritise

their staff’s work-life balance. Unsurprisingly, more

than half of firms (54%) have increased their mental

health and wellbeing assistance for employees

throughout the pandemic.

“It’s a unique opportunity for businesses to develop

this in a way that boosts diversity and inclusion and

sustains an environment in which people from all

walks of life feel welcome, like they belong, and are

productive,” Fell added.

“Board representation, diverse senior leadership,

transparency in disclosing pay gaps and building

an inclusive culture. They are practical and entirely

achievable. They could make your business more

innovative, more profitable, more attractive to talent.

And help make society fairer for everyone.

Clarity Search, CNG, Company Matters, Costain,

Cranfield University, Deloitte, Diageo, Domestic

& General, Dr. Martens, Dynamics Group, Egon

Zehnder, EY, F1 Recruitment, Federated Hermes,

Financial Service Compensation Scheme, Grae

Matta Foundation, Greater Manchester Chamber of

Commerce, Green Park, GSK, Halma, Halsey Keetch,

Heads Group, Hedley May, Heidrick & Struggles,

Hogan Lovell, HSBC Global Asset Management,

Intercontinental Hotels Group, ITV, Johnson Matthey,

John White and Son, Keela, Korn Ferry, KPMG,

Linklaters, Lygon Group, Metropolitan Thames

Valley Housing, Microsoft UK, Moon Exec Search,

MWM Consulting, National Grid Group PLC, Notting

Hill Genesis, Odgers Berndtson, Paskpartnership,

Pearson, Pennon, PWC, Radical Recruit, Reed

Smith, Russell Reynolds, Sainsbury’s, Sainty, Hird &

Partners, Sam Allen & Associates, Sapphire Partners,

Schroders, Shakespeare Martineau, Siemens,

SocialBox, Spencer Stuart, Spirax Sarco Engineering,

Stanton Chase, Textile Services Association, The

REC, Thewlis Graham, The 30% Club, The Empathy

Business, The Good Board, The Investment

Association, Third Bridge, TSB, Unilever, University

of Glasgow, US2U Consulting, Warren Partners,

Wates Group, and Wincanton.

Join the conversation #changetheraceratio

https://changetheraceratio.com/

“We’re still so far behind -

37% of FTSE 100 companies

and 69% of the FTSE 250 don’t

have a single ethnic minority

director on their board.”

On the question of how firms should address any

historic links with the slave trade, Lord Bilimoria said:

“It is very important to be aware and open about

your history but it is what you do today

that matters.”

LIST OF SIGNATORIES

Companies have been invited to support Change the

Race Ratio and its four Commitments to Change.

The CBI’s Lord Bilimoria challenged them to show

“that businesses can lead, and make a difference,

we can be a beacon of light in society. A real

example to others. And a driver of national ambition

and progress.”

The list of founding partners and signatories so

far covers all sectors of the UK economy, from

smaller consultancies and recruitment companies to

household brand names and multinational financial

behemoths.

This list is growing all the time, but at present

includes such names as abrdn, Alexander Mann,

Amino Technologies, Atos, Autotrader, Avanade,

Aviva, Axa, Birchwood Knight, bp, British Water,

Brunswick, Business in the Community, Cavendish

Group, CBI, Centrica, City Mental Health Alliance,

13

SOCIAL MEDIA TIPS

FOR JOB SEEKERS

Social media has become an

integral part of our everyday

lives and for anyone searching

for a new job or career path,

it is essential to build an online

profile. Investing time in social

media can expand your

business network and boost

your future opportunities.

The number of digital platforms

continues to grow to almost

bewildering levels.

But it is important to keep on

top of your online profile and

to remember that other people

can easily find your profile.

Here are a few pointers to help

you make the best use of social

media:

14

LinkedIn is widely considered to be

the best and most effective business

social media tool. It is used by

companies and individuals alike and

has grown from humble beginnings

in 2003 to become the world’s

largest professional network with

more than 610 million users

worldwide.

Hundreds of companies use LinkedIn

to seek potential new employees,

either individually or through

LinkedIn’s ‘Talent Solutions’ that

helps to find people with the

relevant skills for the company’s

needs. So if you are looking to

promote yourself and to find your

next career move, or you want

advice from other professionals to

help you find what you are looking

for, you need to be on LinkedIn.

Sign up to LinkedIn

If you haven’t already done so, you

need to create your own LinkedIn

account, which is free and simple to

do. All you need is to register your

first and last name, enter your email

address and create a password to

sign in with each time you visit the

site.

Take a selfie

Your profile is visible to other

LinkedIn users and to any recruiters

who may come across your profile.

What they will see initially is your

name, your photo and a short

statement or headline. Bear in mind

that this is a business networking

site, so you should select a photo of

yourself, preferably a simple headshot

that reflects how you want to present

yourself for employers.

As with all job interviews, first

impressions matter, so you want

to look professional and dress

appropriately. Avoid having clutter

background – ideally you should

simply have a solid light-coloured

background – and smile; this will

help you come across as friendly

and accessible to others who may

want to connect with you and to

check out your full profile.

Create your profile

In creating your profile, you should

include the same information as

used in your CV, i.e. your past and

present employment, education, any

volunteer experience, and your skills.

Don’t just copy and paste your CV

onto the website but think about

detailing your skills and experience

as concisely as you can. The more

sections completed in your profile

adds to your profile strength,

increasing the chances of being

noticed by managers and recruiters.

Write a headline

You need to decide on a short

statement that will appear under

your name. Rather than write a full

sentence, think of this as your brand

message as you seek to create an

online brand for yourself. Just use a

few key words and capitalise your

heading like a newspaper headline

so that it stands out more.

Keep information up to date

It is important to make sure your

profile is current and regularly

updated. If you are looking to change

jobs, you may want to amend your

headline to reflect the direction you

wish to move in, or to emphasis

different skill-sets or experience. As

you start to build your online brand

profile, it is a good idea to have

consistency across your professional

and social networking sites.

Create connections

Connecting with industry

professionals will help to illustrate

your experience and desire. Make

connections with people who work

in the same industry and with

personal academic contacts. It is a

good idea to include a message as to

why you want to connect with them.

Take time to gather recommendations

from people you have worked with

as this will help employers to

understand your achievements from

previous roles. In return, give

appropriate recommendations when

asked. Recommendations are like

references in advance for potential

employers, so don’t ask for

recommendations for skills from

people you don’t know.

Join relevant groups

This will allow you to expand your

networks and to follow topical

discussions online. This may even

extend to invitations to professional

networking events such as local

business groups or job fairs which

may be beneficial to attend if you

are looking for employment.

15

FACEBOOK

Facebook is used by most people for keeping in

contact with friends and family and for sharing

photos, memories and funny stories. But it is also

used by many companies for promoting their brands

and posting job opportunities. Facebook has many

more features than LinkedIn enabling you to create

event pages, fundraisers and tools for other countless

applications, but you have to be diligent about how

you use Facebook, especially if you want to use it for

both social and professional networking.

Keep your private life private

Make sure you check all your privacy settings on

Facebook and especially for tagged photos. Many

recruiters also look at Facebook profiles to see

if a person would fit in with the culture of their

organisation. So if you are using Facebook as a

professional networking tool, you should ensure that

those drunken beach party photos are not publicly

accessible to potential employers!

Be selective of the companies you ‘like’

If you are looking for employment on Facebook, try

to avoid a scattergun approach to selecting which

companies to follow, and make sure there is an element

of similarity in the type of companies you ‘like’. If you

are looking to join a particular company or have a job

interview coming up, having a look at the company’s

Facebook page (as well as their own website) can help

you with your background research.

Follow leading recruitment agencies

If you are looking for a job, make sure you follow the

leading recruitment agencies within the sector(s)

you want to work in, as they can help you find your

ideal job.

Join groups that reflect your interests

As with LinkedIn, this will show that you are genuinely

keen about your chosen profession.

Be selective in what you post

Facebook can be used tactically to promote your own

professional ‘brand’ (i.e. your business self) by posting

or sharing informative articles and videos.

If you are aiming to start your own business in the

future, creating a page or group for your business can

help to separate your personal and professional life and

build business relationships. To do this properly takes

time and diligence, but it can be rewarding to do it.

YOUTUBE

If you are looking for a career in the Arts, or you want an accessible platform

for showcasing your creative ideas, designs and communication skills, then

loading video samples of your work onto YouTube can be an excellent way

to get noticed by potential employers. You should link your YouTube videos

to your other social media sites and in any communication with recruiters.

16

TWITTER

Twitter is another great way to search for vacancies. For example, using

search hashtags like #jobpostings, #employment or #careers can let

employers know that you are looking for opportunities.

Twitter can also be an excellent networking tool, in that it allows users to

post items (‘tweets’) of interest on current affairs relating to their areas of

work. If you want to work in a particular sector, follow the companies you

are interested in and try responding to and retweeting their tweets.

However, Twitter on its own will rarely get you noticed by potential

employers; it needs to be linked ideally to a blog or your LinkedIn profile.

Rather than retweet a plethora of news articles, better to have one or two a

week with links to an insightful piece on your blog.

SNAPCHAT

With over 203 million people using Snapchat globally, it is now one of the

biggest social media platforms where you can reach out to people, keep up

with what is going on in the world and live in the moment together. If you are

looking to find a job, you can find potential employers on the Discover section.

You can create a snap story of your portfolio and follow the company’s media

feeds on Snapchat to keep yourself up-to-date. Snapchat is now taking the

lead in promoting individuals, especially for businesses. Similarly to YouTube,

if you are looking for a career in the Arts, it is the platform where you can

promote yourself.

You can create a campaign for marketing in Snapchat’s ‘Ads Manager’ and

that can be arranged according to your budget. You also have the option

to keep your stories private and for your friends only, but if you are looking

to promote yourself you can make your story public and have all the right

people look at your snaps, be it promoting a product, an event or having

your own Snapchat channel.

INSTAGRAM

The popularity of Instagram has been growing rapidly

over the past six years and is used primarily as a photo

and video-sharing service amongst friends. However,

with due care and attention, Instagram could also

be used to demonstrate your social media skills and

promote your own digital brand.

If you are already using an Instagram account for sharing

selfies and party photos, you should definitely consider

creating a separate account if you want to use Instagram

as part of your job search or personal brand building.

If you do decide to create a business account, then the

three things you need to consider before posting on

Instagram can be summed up in the acronym APP:

1 . A - is it Appropriate?

2. P - is it Professional?

3. P - should it be Public or Private?

OF COURSE, THERE ARE MANY OTHER WAYS OF

SEARCHING FOR JOB OPPORTUNITIES ONLINE.

You should regularly check or register with recruitment

sites such as Indeed, Gumtree, Monster, Reed and

Jobsite. In addition, you should check newspaper

websites such as Guardian and Telegraph as well as

checking your local newspaper for locally advertised

vacancies and job fairs.

But remember that around 90 % of employers will look

up a candidate’s social media profile as a routine part of

their hiring process.

So if you are currently searching for a new job, take time

to Google your own name to see what company HR

executives may find, then decide whether you need to

rethink your privacy settings or start to create an online

brand.

17

How diversity and inclusion

can help you succeed…

Diversity UK is a charity, founded in

2012, which focuses on informing

and educating the public about

equality and inclusion initiatives,

particularly in relation to race

diversity. We do this by publishing

articles on our website, via

newsletters and on social media.

We also undertake other initiatives

on race equality including:

» Entering into the debate with

parliamentarians and other

diversity organisations.

» Engaging with workplace equality

networks.

» Organising an event on

International Women’s Day (IWD)

or speaking at other IWD events

which takes place on 8th March

annually.

» Ensuring Diversity UK is known

to community organisations and

networks so that we can mutually

support each other.

18

What’s a Public Appointment?

Diversity UK also holds public bodies

to account about the appointment

of black, Asian and minority ethnic

(BAME) individuals to senior

positions in the public sector. A

public appointment is generally

a ministerial appointment to the

board of a public body or advisory

committee. Public bodies across the

UK deliver important and essential

public services. This includes large

public bodies overseen by boards

of directors and small, advisory

committees made up of lay

members, experts and specialists.

Examples of Public Bodies include

NHS Trusts, the Food Standards

Authority and organisations like the

Arts Council. Overall there are in the

order of 6,000 public appointees

(as of 31st March 2018).

As part of our work on public

appointments, Diversity UK has

undertaken research on the

appointments process; participated

in consultations, convened

roundtable discussions, facilitated

debates, hosted networking events

and showcased good practice.

What does this mean for me?

All this may seem a very long way

away from getting your first job,

but, by ensuring equality, diversity

and inclusion (ED&I) is at the

forefront of the minds of the biggest

bosses in the UK, we hope good

practice filters down throughout the

organisations they represent.

This is constructive activism in

keeping issues like the gender pay

gap, ethnic pay gap, racism, bullying

and harassment, microaggressions,

career progression, and fair

treatment at the forefront. We all

want to live a fair and equal society

and this is our way of ensuring that

this actually happens.

You can be what you can’t see!

Research has shown that diverse

organisations are more profitable,

take fewer risks and are more

representative of the audiences they

serve so there really is no better

time to aim high. You can be what

you can’t see!

On the next couple of pages we

ask how Trustee of Diversity UK,

Francesca Jus-Burke, and Advisory

Board Member Shivani Sharma got

started in their careers.

You can find out more about us at

https://diversityuk.org/

Francesca Jus-Burke

Associate at Ince

What is your current role?

I am an associate (junior lawyer)

in the corporate/commercial team

at Ince, which means I advise

businesses on matters such as

buying or investing into a company,

agreements for the provision of

products/services, carrying out

filings at Companies House (the

register of companies in England

and Wales), etc.

I went to Loughborough University

and studied European and

International Studies. I started

contemplating a career in the law in

my mid twenties after I found out

that a friend with whom I went to

university completed the graduate

diploma in law (an accelerated law

course for those who didn’t study

law at university). I joined Ince in

2016 and qualified in 2018.

How did you get your job?

My career history between university

and joining a law firm was focused

on trying to get to the Olympics

(which I didn’t manage) and then

earning enough money to pay my

way through post-graduate study.

What I did get was lots of valuable

work experience in private practice

(law firms) and in-house (legal

departments within companies),

which helped me determine what

type of law firm I wanted to work for.

I found out about Ince when

researching the types of

international law firms that practiced

shipping/commodities/insurance

law. Some people apply to firms via

their vacation schemes, which are

paid one/two week placements.

I did one elsewhere and applied

directly for a training contract at

Ince. I had to complete an online

verbal reasoning test and carry out

two written exercises followed by

an interview with a partner and a

member of HR.

What would you have done

differently if you were being

interviewed for it now?

Nothing. I think I had the right level

of extracurricular activities and work

experience to stand out from the

crowd. I was also passionate about

why I wanted to join Ince (having

done my research) and having

had a few unsuccessful interviews

beforehand I had polished my

interview/assessment techniques so I

was confident I could get the job.

What’s the best question you’ve

been asked at an interview and

how did you respond?

One that stands out is being asked

whether I held any prejudices. I

answered that given my experience

in the charity and D&I spheres I

appreciate that everyone has their

own backstory, so did not think I

had any. I was asked a few questions

challenging that answer but stuck to

my guns!

What sort of questions should

applicants ask employers?

I think three good questions are:

• Why did you join the company

and what has kept you here?

• What is the working culture like?

• Do you have any concerns that I

might not be suitable for the role

on the basis of my answers?

What skills do you need to

do your job and how did

you develop them?

Communication: I spend a

lot of my time writing emails,

drafting documents

and talking to

colleagues or

clients. You have

to be good at

communicating

your point

succinctly,

whether in

writing or orally.

Our clients (and

partners in the firm) are busy people

who don’t have the time to read

long-winded emails. I developed

oral communication skills through

presenting and I developed written

communication skills over time

through school, university and my

various jobs.

Team-working: Depending on the

department you are in you are often

required to work closely with more

senior and junior members of your

team, which means you have to be

good at working with other people

(i.e. taking responsibility where

necessary and supporting others). I

developed this skill mainly through

team sports at school and university.

Self-motivation/drive: As a junior

lawyer you are given work by lots

of other people, which you need to

complete within set deadlines. That

said, as everybody is busy with their

own work, you are also relatively

autonomous, which means you need

to be able to deliver work without

being chased.

Time-management/prioritisation:

Linked to the above, work gets

thrown at you left, right and centre,

all of which is seemingly urgent. So

you need to be able to prioritise the

work you are given and manage

your workload so you can deliver to

people’s deadlines but also maintain

your quality of work.

19

Shivani Sharma

Quantitative Research Analyst -

J.P. Morgan Asset Management

What is your current role?

I am a Quantitative Research Analyst

at J.P. Morgan Asset Management

in London. My team sits within the

‘Equities’ division, meaning that I

work with fund managers who are

responsible for investing clients’

money in the stocks and shares

of a wide range of companies. My

role involves enhancing the process

of choosing which companies

to include and how to construct

these funds using mathematical

and statistical methods, and

programming languages such as

Python. Before joining J.P. Morgan, I

completed a BSc in Mathematics and

Economics at the London School of

Economics.

How did you get your job?

I applied for the Asset Management

Products Summer Analyst

20

Programme in my final year of

university, and was invited to

interview for the Quantitative

Research team given the nature

of my university course. Having

completed the summer internship,

I received an offer to join the firm

full-time as an Analyst.

What would you have done

differently if you were being

interviewed for it now?

I remember being overwhelmed

before my interviews because I

didn’t know anything about being

in Quantitative Research; I assumed

that it wasn’t for me and that I

didn’t have the right skill set, and

this mindset made my preparation

agonising rather than exciting.

A few pieces of advice regarding

interviews would be to try to get

excited for the process, don’t put

too much pressure on yourself, and

have faith that the firm you are

interviewing for wants you to do

well rather than catch you out or

interrogate you. Any firm that has

the opposite attitude may not be a

firm you want to work for.

What’s the best question you’ve

been asked at an interview and

how did you respond?

How many fridges are there

in India? These ‘market sizing’

questions involve combining general

knowledge, commercial awareness

and logical reasoning, and are

surprisingly common in finance

interviews. I think that I started with

the population of India, and got to

my answer by making assumptions

about the number of individuals

per household, the proportion of

households that may own a fridge

and the number of fridges per

household.

One question I was interested

in before starting my career is:

“In your opinion, is this industry/

division a good place to start a

career, and why?”. Just because

a few people chose to start their

careers in one space 30 years ago

doesn’t necessarily mean it is the

place to start a career today, based

on market conditions. This is always

going to be a relevant question, and

asking interviewers for their opinion

tends to go down well.

What skills do you need to

do your job and how did you

develop them?

The key skills involved in my role are

reasonable mathematical ability and

strong logic reasoning. Regardless

of your coding ability (to reiterate, I

had never done any coding before

starting), you will always be able to

learn as long as you can apply logic.

Being comfortable with numbers

is also essential in finding your role

interesting and enjoyable.

keep an eye out ...

Check out the latest careers news and advice on

our new website https://diversityinclusions.com

my future

+44 (0)20 7241 1589 // info@blsmedia.co.uk


PREPARING FOR A

BIG JOB INTERVIEW

Congratulations! – you

have been selected to

attend an interview for

your dream job. Now you

need to make sure you

are fully prepared. These

tips will help you shine and

hopefully secure the job!

Now we have got to bear

in mind that although

most job roles require

just a single interview to

land the job, there are

instances where you have

to go through different

stages of interview

before you successfully

complete the process.

BEFORE THE DAY

Research the company

Knowing a few things about the

company before the interview will

give you a good head start.

Check out the company’s website

and do a Google search to see what

others are saying about them.

22

Make sure you know exactly where

the interview is to take place and

how to get there.

Re-read the job description

Look for specific skills that the

employer is looking for and think

about examples from your past

and current work/experience that

align with these requirements. Be

prepared for questions such as “Tell

me about yourself” and “why you are

interested in this role” and practise

how you would answer these.

Practise

It’s a good idea to practise your

answers out loud to yourself or with

a friend to gain confidence in saying

the words. Remember that when

giving examples of things you have

done in the past, try to be concise

with a clear Situation, Task, Action

and Result.

ON THE DAY

Appearance

First impressions count! Most

businesses expect smart dress code,

but even if the working environment

is more relaxed about its attire, it’s

a good idea to look smart, clean

and professional for the interview.

This includes having clean shoes –

and positively

NO TRAINERS!

Be early

If you are travelling by public

transport, make sure you allow

plenty of time and have a back-up

plan if there are any unexpected

delays. Aim to arrive at the interview

10-15 minutes early. Arriving early

in many companies allows you to

sit in a reception area, to compose

yourself and to observe some of the

dynamics of the workplace.

What to bring

Make sure you bring several copies

of your CV to the interview and

a copy of your covering letter.

There may be someone else in the

interview who hasn’t seen your CV

yet or who wishes to discuss part

of your CV in the interview. Bring a

notebook and pen. It is always good

to make notes during the interview

as these will help you in any followup

and demonstrates that you are

paying attention.

DURING THE INTERVIEW

Switch your mobile phone off!

Stay focused

The senior person in the interview

will greet you with a handshake. Be

firm and decisive with your handshake

without crushing any fingers, look

the person in the eye and

SMILE!

Sit up straight during the interview,

try to maintain eye contact and

especially when you are talking.

Smile frequently as this will convey

that you are relaxed and have a

friendly disposition.

In answering questions, take a little

time to consider your answer, keep

your replies brief and focused.

Remember that the time for each

interview is limited, so try to stick to

the question being asked without

rambling.

Ask something

Remember that an interview should

be a two-way process. Having

nothing to ask the interviewer

conveys disinterest, so aim to have

one or two questions ready to be

able to ask the interviewer about the

company or the job, such as how

performance within the role would

be measured, or how does the role

collaborate with other departments.

End positively

You should ask for a business card of

individuals at the interview, or at least

make a written note of their email

address, and leave the interview in

a positive manner, such as “I look

forward to hearing from you.”

AFTER THE INTERVIEW

Send a follow-up email

You should send an email to the

interviewer within 24 hours, thanking

them for their time and reconfirming

your enthusiasm for the job.

If you haven’t heard back from the

company after a period of time, you

may want to send another email

to check in with the employer and

to reaffirm your continued interest.

Keeping in touch with the company

shows initiative and can sometimes

put you in the frame should another

role become available.

VIDEO INTERVIEW

Some corporations might request

for a video interview first and

foremost, especially for graduate

scheme applications. Now what do

you have to do to prepare for this:

Note: The video interview can last

up to 30 minutes depending on

what the employer requires. This

can be pre-recorded or even live.

It is important to know whether

this will be a live interview or prerecorded,

as you will have to prepare

accordingly and it will be very

different from each other.

LIVE

If it is live, this will be similar to a

face-to-face interview. You can use

the tips provided above (‘Preparing

for your interview’) to prepare for

the day. Now this will be conducted

through a video connection such

as Skype or Google hangout or

they might even use Messenger

or WhatsApp.

Treat this interview exactly as you

would if you went to an interview

at the employers’ office. Therefore

do all the necessary research, be

confident and look sharp!

PRE-RECORDED

This experience will be completely

different from a real life interview

and the good thing is you can do a

retake! You might be given written

questions or even pre-recorded

questions from the interviewers.

You will have the opportunity to

respond by recording your answers

within a limited amount of time;

that could be 20 or 30 minutes.

You might feel a little awkward

at first but you will get used to it

through practice. Best part is you

can do the interview when you

want (within a specified deadline)

and where you want as long as it

is a clear space with no ambient

background noise.

Similarly to a normal interview, you

should finish in a mannerly way and

on a positive note. Thank them for

their time and say that you look

forward to hearing from them.

Don’t forget to email them within

the next 24 hours as a courtesy.

There are occasions where you will

have a brief telephone interview;

don’t be nervous, be confident and

you should get to the next round

with flying colours.

For a group interview, it is always a

little more tricky as your competitors

are right in front of you. You have to

make sure you stand out positively

and make an impression that will

last. The more you know about the

company, what they do and the job

role, the more chances you will have

of standing out.

23

VOYAGE IS A LONDON BASED

CHARITY TRANSFORMING

DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES

At Voyage we have a Youth Advisory Board. This collective symbolises the

highest form of Youth Engagement in our Charity. They have achieved some

amazing things as a group, despite the circumstances of COVID-19. They

challenge the status-quo, something we need more of in the BAME community.

To find out more about what we do visit us at https://voyageyouth.com

GEFFRYE MUSEUM

My name is Peace Ogbuani and I am

part of the Voyage Youth Advisory

Board (YAB), which represents the

highest form of youth engagement

within the Charity. This has given

me the chance to become an active

young leader within my community.

One of the many benefits about

being a part of the Youth Advisory

Board is that we strive to influence

change. Within our own community,

we noticed the local Museum

(Geffrye Museum), had a statue of a

slave master hanging, in the midst of

the Black Lives Matter movement.

24

We wrote a deeply emotive letter

imploring the Museum to remove

the offensive statue of Robert

Geffrye. The letter was received

and members of the community

have felt truly uplifted by the notion

of the youth, our future leaders,

making a stand in solidarity against

institutionalised racism being further

normalised. It was an experience that

encouraged me to look into issues

occurring in my community and how

I can make a change, and it has not

only developed my qualitative skills,

but it has also pushed me to further

engage in the cultural history of my

ethnic background. The institution

has now rebranded as The Museum

of the Home.

CHILDREN’S COMMISSIONER

My name is Rhoda, and I’m also a

member of the YAB. One of the

many highlights of being a part of

the Board, is being able to consult

people of power. Recently, we

composed a presentation to deliver

to the Children’s Commissioner and

her colleagues. This was to voice our

opinions on the current problems

people from BAME backgrounds

face in the education system and

society as whole.

We highlighted two examples.

Young person ‘A’ was representative

of people who come from broken

homes without role models to

support them in education or their

careers. Young person example

‘B’, which I presented, was top of

the class, had academic ability

and knew what the future held for

them. However, due to the lack

of opportunities or support from

comprehensive state schools, they

were not able to fulfil their potential

unlike their white counterparts.

I stated in the presentation that

“due to the lack of opportunities not

presented to the BAME youth they

are not inspired to break the glass

ceiling.” Being a part of the Voyage

Youth Advisory Board has made me

understand the importance of being

a voice for young people, and that

we can bring about positive change.

This opportunity allowed me to

gain confidence and I am now able

to articulate my opinion in a more

sophisticated manner, especially on

subjects that I am passionate about,

and for that I am truly grateful.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

I’m Rachael, and I am a member of

the YAB. Black History Month is an

important time for the community

to reflect on the past and allow it to

empower their present and future.

Voyage played a crucial role with

their Black History programme. This

revolved around creative arts and

I met various professionals who

educated me about black people’s

prevalence in the art industry.

They gave me the opportunity to

create films, be involved with a

photoshoot – directing, modelling

and taking photos. This was an

amazing experience as I learned how

to operate a professional camera,

create sets and different elements

involved with filmography. While

learning how to be a professional

photographer it was inspiring to

learn about Black people’s history

and how they shaped the art

industry as it is today. The team

we worked with gifted me my

own professional camera and that

has allowed me to independently

develop my skills.

My name is Malik, and I am also a

member of the YAB. Black history

is absent from the current school

curriculum in the UK, and not

enough is done to highlight and

celebrate black excellence in the

month of October. Being a part of

the Youth Advisory Board gives

me the opportunity to engage in

these activities, so that I can learn

more about my own culture. Here at

Voyage, we decided to hold a special

programme centred around art and

creativity to celebrate the month.

I was part of a group that planned

and filmed a documentary about

how young BAME people benefitted

from a creative Black History Month

programme, with the help of film

producer Seyi Rhodes. We began by

learning how to use the camera and

its various settings. We then filmed

different shots from different angles

before combining them together

and documenting the final day of

the programme. The programme has

helped me develop a keen eye for

detail and has also taught me some

useful camera and editing skills.

HOGAN LOVELLS’ KNIFE CRIME

INFORMATION PACK

My name is Reuben, and I am also

a member of the YAB. On the path

of becoming young leaders in our

community, we the YAB are working

painstakingly to meet with various

organisations to offer our advice

towards ensuring a safer society.

For example, we had a roundtable

discussion with Hogan Lovells to

create a Knife Crime Pack, aimed at

reducing the levels of knife crime

occurring in our everyday lives.

Office for National Statistics figures

show that “In the year ending March

2020, there were around 46,000

offences involving a knife or sharp

instruments in England and Wales,”

and there were “4,757 finished

consultant episodes (FCEs) recorded

in English hospitals in 2019/20 due

to assault by a sharp object.”

This is the reason why the YAB are

pushing to reduce knife crime and

simultaneously reduce hospital

admissions. Even though there

have been slight improvements, our

society has been engulfed with fear

of stepping out of their own homes

because of the risk of becoming

a victim of knife crime – which

hugely affects the BAME minority

in suburban areas, as a result of

postcode wars. As a BAME young

leader myself, I cannot let my society

fall, as enough cries for liberation

of terror have been expressed. We

need to cause a watershed of events

from fighting to peace.

The YAB and Hogan Lovells aim to

create a information pack to reveal

the risks, dangers and consequences

of choosing to carry a knife and

engaging in knife crime. This will

help create positive values within

friendship groups and will encourage

the resolve to challenge negative

influences within peer groups, by

continuing to refresh and promote

these materials to ensure that they

don’t wither on the vine.

By participating in the creation of

this knife crime pack, I have been

able to analyse different ways or

promoting it, to make a positive

difference in our society. As a result,

I have gathered many skills such

as patience, societal awareness,

teamwork and communication.

25

HOW TO KILL IT IN

A VIDEO INTERVIEW

Our advice for a first-rate online job interview in the time of COVID-19

With COVID-19 more and

more companies are having or

choosing to brace the digital

age in terms of recruitment.

Top employers are now using

video and telephone interviews

as part of their application

process, helping them to reach

more early talents as they look

for a future set of superstars.

And, with these new forms of

assessment, comes a whole new skill

set to perfect.

Explore the articles and features and

find out how to shine, even when the

interviewer behind the screen can’t

see you and discover what it takes

to nail a video interview. If you only

take away one thing – act natural!

Firstly let’s understand, what is

a video interview?

Most online interviews follow the

same format as a traditional face

to face interview but are held over

Zoom, Skype, Microsoft Teams or a

similar application.

26

These are known as live video

interviews. Sometimes, you might be

asked to upload a video of yourself

answering interview questions, or

answer a defined set of questions

in a limited period of time. You can

usually re-record these if you’re not

happy with the result. You can think

of that as the equivalent of doing a

paper exam.

Right now, you might be wondering

what all the fuss is about – if it’s just

an ordinary interview done over

Skype, surely you should answer the

questions to the best of your ability

like you normally would. And it’s

true, you should. But, as with any

other interview, there’s a lot more to

it than just answering the questions.

We all know that appearance and

demeanour are vital to success.

In video interviews, this goes

even further. As well as dressing

and acting the part, you need

to present yourself well on the

computer screen. It’s the role of a

film technician – finding the perfect

picture, sound and angles to show

yourself off to the best effect.

Why do companies choose

to do video interviews?

2020 saw a real upsurge in the

use of video to replace written

applications for big recruiters. Soon

the days of hammering out 500

words on your teamwork experience

will be but a distant memory. The

coronavirus pandemic has seen

companies opt for video as opposed

to face-to-face interviews to adhere

to social distancing rules. It is likely

that online will continue to be a more

convenient way to host interviews,

even as workplaces return to normal.

Graduate recruiters may want you

to deliver a resume to your webcam,

answer a set of questions, or go

through a complete interview by

video. It might sound daunting

but think of it as a great leap past

the faceless lottery of the CV and

straight to an interview with the

people you’ll be working for. Body

language accounts for 70% of

communication so now you have

the most powerful communication

tool at your disposal to persuade

someone to employ you.

How do you make a lasting

positive impression from your

video interview?

KEEP IT SHORT

Just as your CV should only be a

page long, your video should also

be short and to the point. While

you can employ such mind tricks

as recording it whilst needing a

comfort break (as a certain MP

used to do, it would make him

more forthright and assertive!) or

standing up (as Queen Victoria

preferred, pontificating is

dramatically reduced when MPs

are forced to stand), you must

remember the point of the video.

The ability to collate information

and communicate it efficiently is

an essential graduate skill and will

be one of the things a graduate

employer will be looking for.

LOOK CONFIDENT

You never really know how you

come across on-screen until you

record yourself talking and watch

the results. Yes, it can be painful,

(“please tell me I don’t sound like

that!”), but it gives you a chance

to practise and correct any

unfortunate habits.

If there are questions you

know to expect, practice them

specifically. Deliver your answer

directly to the camera, watch the

result, and adjust as necessary for

next time.

Dress for a video interview just as

you would for a regular interview.

There is always the option for

you to wear tracksuit bottoms

under the desk if you like, but

everything visible should be

office-appropriate.

PRACTICE ‘TO CAMERA’

Even Sir David Attenborough

needed practice before perfecting

his presentation style. Common

mistakes include speaking too

fast or too quietly or not looking

at the camera. We naturally talk

quickly when nervous which can

pose the risk of the interviewers

not understanding you. Copy

the style of YouTubers – if they

have millions of views you know

they’re doing something right.

The handy advantage of a video

interview over face-to-face is that

you can have notes off-camera

to help you. You could put up a

large board behind the camera

with SPEAK SLOWLY written on

it, as well as examples of times

you’ve led a team, communicated

effectively, performed a

marketing task or whatever else

the company might ask of you.

Remember not to stare at your

notes the whole time though, as

an interviewer will quickly catch

on to what you’re doing.

MAKE EYE CONTACT

You’ll need to look directly into

your webcam. When live, you’ll

have to look at your interviewer’s

face on the screen so you can

respond to them properly. For the

best of both worlds, resize the

window and move it as close to

your webcam as possible.

For pre-recorded questions, you

can look directly into the camera

– but experiment first to see how

well this comes across, so you

don’t end up giving a creepy

stare. To avoid looking wooden,

you might set up a picture of a

person just behind the webcam

and talk to that instead.

ELIMINATE ANY

TECHNICAL HITCHES

“Sorry, I can’t get the webcam

working!” – not a phrase an

interviewer wants to hear. Test

your equipment in advance to

avoid the kind of embarrassment

that could throw you off balance.

If possible, do a trial run. If it’s a

Skype interview, set up a call with

a friend. This is less easy to do if

the call comes via the company’s

web conferencing software –

you’ll just have to make sure

your camera and mic work in

other applications and keep your

fingers crossed.

A decent internet connection

is also vital. Organise a backup

location at a friend’s place in case

your broadband has a bad day.

DRESS PROFESSIONALLY

For your video interview, you

should dress professionally – the

same way you would for an inperson

interview. Do you home

and research the company culture

before your interview so you have

a good idea of what’s appropriate.

To look your best on camera,

avoid bright colours and patterns

and opt for softer hues instead. If

you are wearing a tie, wear a solid

colour rather than a patterned

one. If you wear glasses, adjust

the lighting in the room to reduce

glare from the lenses.

Position the camera so that

you are looking up slightly and

centred on the screen. While it’s

likely that the interviewer will

only see your upper half, it’s still

a good idea to wear professional

pants or a skirt in case you need

to stand up for any reason.

If it’s a resume type video, mention

your name clearly at the beginning

and the end. You’re trying to make

the reviewer remember you and

encouraging them to learn your

name is a great way to stand out.

You might also be able to introduce

and use props sensibly, such as

hold up cards with your university,

degree and grades to reinforce what

you’re saying.

If you can edit your video, look at

any videos the company may have

created and mimic their style.

While this sounds like a lot of work,

remember that you’re learning a very

valuable skill. Videoconferencing

will only increase in popularity. Ten

years from now, you might make a

critical presentation to your CEO via

webcam – and you’ll be very glad

you know how to set up the lighting.

Finally, look happy and let your

personality shine through. Use that

body language to reinforce your

message. The very act of smiling

will relax you, show you have a

personality and demonstrate you

have confidence. Then you can

sit upright and look professional

when the conversation turns to

serious matters, in the same way a

newsreader will welcome you, only

to change tone when appropriate.

27

Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships offer a great way to acquire knowledge,

and the vocational skills and experience needed to enter

many careers. They enable you to earn while you learn

without incurring student debts, as your training costs

are funded by your employer and by the government.

There are many different apprenticeship

schemes available across a wide

spectrum of industries and professions,

ranging from engineering and

construction to accounting and nursing.

Once accepted, you will be spending at

least 50% of your time at work learning

from work colleagues and gaining the

necessary skills to help you progress,

whilst also spending time attending

college, university or other training

provider as well as online studying.

In England and Wales, there are four

levels of apprenticeships available,

ranging from one year to five or six

years to complete, with many employers

offering the chance to progress through

the levels.

Apprenticeships will not be the right

path for everybody to take as you’ll

need to be committed in balancing

your academic study with your work

commitments. But if you have a clear

idea of the career you wish to pursue,

then an apprenticeship can provide you

with practical on the job training and

substantially boost your longer-term

career prospects and earnings.

Apprenticeships are being developed

and approved all the time, so you can

choose the right training for you, you

can think about the level and duration

of the training and discuss your

expectations with the training provider.

Don’t accept an apprenticeship because

it’s the only one available at the time.

28

29

HOW WE’RE CREATING A WORKPLACE

WHERE EVERYONE’S WELCOME AT

COCA-COLA EUROPACIFIC PARTNERS

Julie Thomas, Director, Inclusion and Diversity at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP)

The pandemic has impacted the

way we live and work and at Coca-

Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP),

we recognise this is an opportunity

to assess how we’re faring as a

business from an inclusion and

diversity perspective, but also

to identify how we can push

ourselves further. We want to create

a workplace where everyone’s

welcome to be themselves, feels

valued and that they belong. We

believe that a diverse workforce is

what creates truly great work.

Inclusion is about how we welcome

and create a culture where everyone,

whatever their background or

experience, feels accepted and

valued and can contribute to the

success of the business. Diversity,

on the other hand, is the mix of all

the great things that make each

of us unique, be it age, heritage,

ethnicity, gender identity, sexual

orientation, disability – the list goes

on. People feel they belong more

when we all value these differences.

To accelerate our Everyone’s

Welcome philosophy, we are guided

by four focus areas at CCEP:

1. PROMOTE ACCOUNTABILITY

Having a key sponsor is crucial to

getting initiatives off the ground. An

Executive Leadership Team member

is a lead sponsor for each one of

our diversity dimensions (Culture &

Heritage, Disability, Gender, LGBT+

and Multi-Generations), who is

committed to removing barriers to

inclusion and diversity. Supported

30

by fully representative groups from

all levels of the company across

Europe, they identify meaningful

actions that reflect the experiences

of our people to drive positive

change across our business.

2. EMBED AN INCLUSIVE

CULTURE

Collating feedback across all levels

of the businesses is important in

addressing issues and concerns

across the spectrum. Our ‘In Your

Shoes’ listening sessions are open to

all, amplifying the voices of underrepresented

groups in particular.

Run by our I&D lead sponsors,

the regular sessions seek to

encourage participants to share their

experiences in a safe environment,

so that actions taken resonate and

make a difference for everyone.

The programme also encourages

everyone to share their personal

stories and reflections, promote

conversations and create confidence

in a long and thriving career at

CCEP, safe in the knowledge that the

business values the strength that the

uniqueness its people bring.

3. ESTABLISH DIVERSE

LEADERSHIP AND PIPELINES

Diverse teams lead to more

successful business outcomes.

There’s a wealth of external research

that demonstrates a clear link

between diverse teams, improved

wellbeing and greater performance.

We also know that it’s important for

people to ‘see’ themselves at every

level of the company. We set an initial

target to have 40% women in senior

management and above roles by

2025 and we continue to improve on

that target, at almost 36% currently,

and we are exploring metrics for our

other diversity dimensions.

We want to promote the free flow

of talent and to do that we have

introduced ‘Inclusion Nudges’.

These are simple interventions

that encourage managers to

consider the bias that can playout

during key career moments like

talent discussions, interviews and

performance reviews, and nudge

them towards a more inclusive

mindset. We believe changing these

habits will have a profound impact.

4. BE DRIVERS FOR CHANGE

Creating open channels of

communication is important to

reach as many people as possible.

Across CCEP, everyone knows they

are responsible for upholding our

inclusion and diversity philosophy.

Our colleagues are empowered to

educate, celebrate and inspire each

other through the company-wide

Redline channel, where real people

share real news and experiences.

We have created Allyship Guides

to support conversations on topics

from race and ethnicity, to disability,

as we know that collaboration and

connection are core to a thriving and

inclusive workplace.

Our Board and leadership team

recognise that real inclusion means

embracing and valuing everyone.

This requires continued commitment

and change across CCEP and this

can be achieved by engaging all

corners of the business. We can only

be changemakers by taking every

voice into account.

******************************************

We spoke to three of CCEP’s

current and former apprentices

to hear about their experience of

working at Coca-Cola Europacific

Partners. They have undertaken

just some of the wide range of

apprenticeships CCEP offers,

bringing them a diverse range of

opportunities within the company.

SAMAH RAFIQ,

BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

APPRENTICE, CCEP,

2019-PRESENT

“I joined the CCEP team in 2019.

I really liked the idea of working

whilst also gaining a qualification,

as this would give me the best of

both worlds. Having the opportunity

to do six-month rotations in

different departments also caught

my attention.

“My first rotation within my

apprenticeship was in planning

where I was given the responsibility

to order materials. My role in

supply chain is a critical part of the

business and each of the roles I

learn in my apprenticeship are key to

production. Since returning to site,

I have started my second rotation

in the QESH department (Quality,

Environment, Safety and Health)

– I analyse and extract data from

different reports, creating quality

checks for manufacturing lines.

“My apprenticeship has boosted my

confidence due to talking and liaising

with many different people across the

organisation. Presenting to local MP

James Brokenshire and CCEP Vice

President & General Manager of GB

at the opening of our new production

line was a huge achievement.

“I’m passionate about advocating

apprenticeships and opportunities

for BAME Women in Supply Chain.

I’m the first in my family to do an

apprenticeship and I’m keen to

demonstrate that going to university

is not the only option. I want to

break down stereotypes, which is

why I’m getting involved in many

different work opportunities –

and I’m only in my first year! For

example, I’ve set up a skills matrix to

analyse skills gaps in the production

team and have had the opportunity

to be a Just Be Ambassador,

promoting inclusion and diversity.”

TOBY SINGH,

ENGINEERING APPRENTICE,

CCEP,

2014-2018

“Since joining CCEP in 2014, I

have stretched my skills and

knowledge so much further than I

anticipated. I graduated from my

first apprenticeship with CCEP in

2018 and have now started studying

for a degree apprenticeship in

Engineering Manufacturing Design.

Because of my first apprenticeship

with CCEP I was able to be fast

tracked into the second year of

the degree, which for me is a big

achievement.

“In year one of my first

apprenticeship I got to learn both

in the classroom about the basic

fundamentals of engineering, and

hands-on with tools and electrical

circuits. In my second and third

years, I worked four days a week

in the East Kilbride factory in

Scotland and attended college one

day a week to continue learning.

I was given a buddy who worked

in a different area, meaning I learnt

more about the business, as well

as learning alternative techniques I

could apply to my job.

“In fourth year, I was trusted with

more responsibilities, allowing me

to test everything I had learnt over

the past three years. By the time I

finished the apprenticeship I was

able to work independently as an

engineer on the lines.

“When the Capri-Sun lines were

installed in the East Kilbride factory

I was offered a full-time role. I have

loved seeing the sustainable

changes that have been made,

including the introduction of paper

straws to remove plastic waste. It is

a really rewarding job to have

around my studies.”

DAVANA TOMKIN-SALMON,

INBOUND SALES

REPRESENTATIVE APPRENTICE,

2017-2018

“I completed my apprenticeship in

Sales and Management with CCEP

in 2018, and I’m now working for

them as an outside sales rep. My job

allows me to be based all around

the UK and I love meeting all the

suppliers and putting my pitching

skills to the test.

“When CCEP came to my school to

talk about the apprenticeships they

offered, I was really interested in

working straight away and gaining a

well-recognised qualification at the

same time.

“I was really excited about the

responsibility I would be given as this

was my first job, and I was intrigued

about the opportunities it could offer

me in the future. The apprenticeship

enabled me to utilise skills I hadn’t

explored before and really boosted

my confidence. I was pushed outside

of my comfort zone, working with

people who were much older than

me, and I was given responsibility to

work on big accounts that are crucial

for the business’s success. Once I

had mastered the skills required for

the job, I was able to put my own

flair to it and get creative with my

selling skills.

“The skills I learnt during my

apprenticeship have been invaluable

for my job now; I had to problem

solve under pressure, communicate

with a wide range of people and use

my time effectively. I am hoping in

the future I can turn my hand to a

different area of the business – I’m

confident the skills I have learnt in

the last three years will take me far

in the future.”

Visit our Early Careers site

www.ccep.jobs/earlycareersgb

for more information

31

A WORLD

FAMOUS BRAND,

WHERE EVERYONE

IS WELCOME

Meet Davana. She staed

with us as a Customer Service

apprentice but is now enjoying

life as a Sales Representative.

Everyday is different and can

be a real challenge, but she’s

loving it.

If you’d like to be pa

of the CCEP story, just visit

our Early Careers site

www.ccep.jobs/earlycareersgb

to find out more.

Davana Tomkinson-Salmon,

Sales Representative,

Coca-Cola European Paners.

www.ccep.com

© 2020 The Coca-Cola Company. Coca-Cola, The Coca-Cola Contour

Bottle symbol, Lippincott Ribbon and Choose Happiness are registered

trade marks of the Coca-Cola Company. All rights reserved.

Action needed to attract

BAME candidates onto

training programmes

Co-authored by Sharon Blyfield, HR Business Partner at Coca-Cola Europacific

Partners Limited and AELP Board Member and Jane Hickie, Managing Director,

Association of Employment and Learning Providers

Just before Christmas 2020, the

government published official

statistics for the apprenticeships

programme in England and it was

another set of data showing the

terrible impact of the coronavirus

pandemic on the take-up of the

programme during 2020.

The statistics contained a little ray

of the light in reporting that even

though 42,100 BAME apprenticeship

starts are a decrease compared to

48,400 in 2018/19, the proportion

of BAME starts increased from

12.5% in 2018/19 to 13.3% in 2019/20.

However, the 13.3 percentage still

falls short of the 14.5% proportion of

England’s population with a BAME

background which was recorded in

the 2011 census.

It is not a proud record by any

means, But before any fingers are

pointed, the reality is that employers,

training providers, schools, parents

and government could all be doing

better. This apprenticeships issue

is not just confined to recruitment

from the BAME communities

because other data confirms that

the proportion of school leavers

going into an apprenticeship has

hardly changed from around 6-7%

in the last ten years. This is despite

multi-million pound government

marketing campaigns, launched to

raise awareness among employers

and young people about the benefits

of apprenticeships.

One of those benefits is that an

apprenticeship is a job, i.e. it comes

with a contract of employment from

day one, and at times of record

numbers of redundancies, as in

2020, this is a highly valued aspect.

The chancellor Rishi Sunak is very

much aware of it and in his July

2020 Plan for Jobs, he included a

new set of financial incentives to

encourage businesses to offer more

apprenticeship opportunities. For

example, the government made a

new payment of £2,000 for each

freshly recruited apprentice for

those under the age of 25 and £1,500

for those aged 25 and over. This

money is in addition to the existing

£1,000 payment the government

already provides for new 16-18 year

old apprentices and those aged

under 25 with an Education, Health

and Care Plan.

33

UPDATED MEASURES

Another key measure in the Plan for

Jobs was an additional £111m this

year for Traineeships in England to

fund high quality work placements

and training for 16 to 24 year olds.

Employers may receive £1,000 per

trainee, up to 10 trainees. Placements

are a vital first step on the ladder to

the world for work for young people

from disadvantaged backgrounds

and the programme has an enviable

track-record of delivering positive

outcomes for its learners.

A further welcome measure

has been the extension of the

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

which has been effective in keeping

apprentices in employment with the

added bonus that they can continue

training while on furlough. In this

respect, apprenticeship training

providers have done a fantastic

job in keeping programmes going

remotely despite the challenges

involved in delivering work based

learning online.

For adults who don’t yet have a level

3 qualification (equivalent to an A

level), the government will introduce

from April 2021 a Lifetime Skills

Guarantee. This will enable an adult

to train or study for free for a level

3 qualification from a list of 400

qualifications spread across a wide

range of sectors.

34

The Association of Employment

and Learning Providers (AELP)

and its 800 training provider

members want to make sure that

all these opportunities are available

to young people and adults from

BAME communities. We have been

talking to organisations such as the

BAME Apprenticeship Alliance and

Amazing Apprenticeships for several

years about increasing the takeup

and getting more commitment

from employers and providers and

there are still areas where everyone

involved needs to improve.

On the question of where training

providers could be doing more to

find candidates and match them

with employers, we know that

identifying talent requires a talent

pool and there’s no better place to

start than BAME communities. This

means regular engagement with

local schools, mosques, churches

and community members. A key

lesson from experience is that it is

important to work closely with a few

rather than loosely with many.

“It is vital to utilise

existing apprentices

as powerful case

studies to showcase

and share their

journey”

FACING THE CHALLENGE

It is crucial as Britain becomes

even more diverse to recognise

that a blanket approach does not

work across all intersections of

BAME communities. This means

that understanding the challenges

of Black communities is different

from Asian communities and

different to those from, say, Eastern

European countries etc. The advice

to providers and other relevant

stakeholders is to study the areas

of target and understand the

breakdown of ethnicities, learn about

the various cultures and engage with

them respectively. Moreover it is

vital to utilise existing apprentices as

powerful case studies to showcase

and share their journey.

One reason why strong case

studies matter is that traditional

careers such as medicine, law, and

engineering etc have been seen

to tick the pillars of good social

mobility, especially among South

Asian families, namely: opportunity,

progression, job security, skills and

money. Presenting alternative career

routes with clear case studies is the

best way to overcome the barriers

of perception related to vocational

training programmes such as

apprenticeships. We include a couple

of examples on the opposite page of

young people who have had positive

experiences through apprenticeships

A DESIRE TO SUCCEED

Let’s be honest; training providers

might be fully signed up to getting

more BAME apprentices and learners

engaged but often they must work

hard to find local employers with the

same level of commitment towards

recruitment. The message which

providers should present is that for

a BAME apprentice to thrive within

an organisation, the culture must

be one which allows them to be

encouraged to learn and grow. This

is important because individuals

from these communities bring

with them previous experiences of

resilience and challenges through

hardships which many BAME youth

use as motivation to become more

socially mobile. They hold a desire

to succeed to the very top with the

right opportunity and organisation.

This is a characteristic that most

employers find embedded with all

apprentices, but perhaps they don’t

realise how strong it is within young

people from BAME backgrounds.

The numbers at the start of this

article show that even if all training

providers adopt best practice,

we still have a considerable way

to go before the proportion of

apprentices who are from BAME

communities overtakes the BAME

percentage of the population in

England. As referred to earlier, the

action required needs to be a team

effort. In our secondary schools,

for example, there are brilliant

teachers who volunteer to become

apprenticeship champions but not

all schools are prepared to inform

their students about the advantages

which apprenticeships offer despite

a legal obligation (the so-called

‘Baker Clause’) to do so. AELP

believes that the government should

be much tougher in enforcing the

obligation. How can students from

BAME communities go home to

explain to their parents or guardians

the benefits of a non-university route

if they are not being informed about

them in the first place?

The threat of prolonged economic

uncertainty could turn 2021 into a

challenging year for all employment

and skills training programmes, but

we should not use it as an excuse to

do less to promote opportunities to

individuals from BAME communities.

On the contrary, we should be doing

even more and at board level, AELP

is preparing a strategy to enable this.

It is an exciting challenge to have.

WHY APPRENTICESHIPS WORK

AKEEM GRAHAM

Media broadcast camera

operator at BBC Media

Production,

Level 3 Apprentice

My job role is to be on constant

call for programmes (such as

the One, Six and Ten O’Clock

News etc) and journalists (UK

Newsgathering, World service,

Digital etc) who are working a

story and need a camera crew.

My job can vary from a quick

zoom interview, a few days

filming abroad or filming

departure shots of the Prime

Minister outside Downing street.

Every day is different, and you

must be prepared for all types

of situations.

I have filmed at Liverpool’s

training ground ahead of their

Champions League final against

Tottenham. I had the pleasure

of being second camera in an

interview with the manager,

Jurgen Klopp, and Player of the

Year, Virgil Van Dijk. I got pictures

with them both and the interviews

aired on BBC Breakfast.

My proudest moment has

to be graduating from the

Apprenticeship scheme. I was

given the opportunity to make a

graduation video, give a speech

about my journey and also was

presented with the ‘Promising

leader Award’. The day reflected

all my hard work over the 12

months of my course, which didn’t

go unnoticed by my employers.

Akeem’s advice:

If university isn’t for you, then this

is an amazing alternative.

Source: Amazing Apprenticeships

HENNA BASHARAT

Lab technician at Specsavers

Spectacle Maker, Level 3

(Advanced) apprenticeship

My job role is to help with the

production and manufacture

of spectacles, to carry out the

quality control process and to

ensure lenses are ordered through

the system correctly. Some tasks

during a typical working day

include blocking, glazing and

final checking spectacles, sorting

the lens delivery and contacting

any patients whose spectacles

are delayed.

The most exciting project I

have worked on during my

apprenticeship would have to be

planning and organising a series

of school visits with one of the

store directors to encourage

more children to enter STEM

based careers. It was also lovely

to be able to give a speech at my

old secondary school about my

experience as an apprentice.

One of my proudest moments

since starting my apprenticeship

would be making it on to the

Modern Muse Youth Board

as a female empowerment

ambassador, or perhaps making it

into the apprenticeship handbook!

Henna’s advice:

Remember you’re not in it to

take part, you’re in it to take

over!

Source: Amazing Apprenticeships

The Association of Employment and

Learning Providers (AELP) is a national

membership organisation that represents

the interests of an extensive number of

organisations. For more information visit

https://www.aelp.org.uk

35

AN OFFICIAL GUIDE TO

APPRENTICESHIPS

WHAT’S AN APPRENTICESHIP?

Apprenticeships combine practical training in a job with

study. They are genuine jobs and under all circumstances

an apprentice will be employed from day one.

An apprentice will:

– work alongside experienced staff

– gain job-specific skills

– earn a wage and get holiday pay

– be given time for study related to their role

(the equivalent of one day a week)

WHAT LEVELS ARE THERE?

All apprenticeships include elements of on the job and

off the job training, leading to industry recognised

standards or qualifications. Some also require an

assessment at the end of the programme to assess the

apprentice’s ability and competence in the role.

Name Level Equivalent educational level

Intermediate 2 5 GCSE passes at grade A*–C

or 9 – 4

Advanced 3 2 A level passes / Level 3

Diploma / International

Baccalaureate

Higher 4, 5,

6 & 7

Foundation degree and above

Degree 6 & 7 Bachelor’s or master’s degree

WHAT CAN THEY EARN?

The national minimum wage (NMW) for apprentices

is £4.30 per hour (from April 2021). This applies to

apprentices aged under 19 or aged 19 or over and in the

first year of their apprenticeship. An apprentice aged 21

who has completed the first year of their apprenticeship

is entitled to a minimum hourly rate of £8.36.

Traditionally only apprentices aged 25 and over, and not

in the first year of their apprenticeship, were entitled to

the National Living Wage, but from 1 April 2021 this was

extended to 23 and 24 year olds. The current NLW is

£8.91 for 23 year olds and over, and the NMW is £8.36

for 21 to 22 year olds, and £6.56 for 20 year olds.

This is the legal minimum pay per hour, most receive

more. The Apprenticeship Pay Survey 2018-19 states

that the mean total weekly earnings for Level 2 and 3

apprentices in Great Britain was £304, an increase in

mean total weekly earnings from £282 in 2016,

More details on salaries and entry criteria in specific

apprenticeship occupations can be found on GOV.UK

and search ‘apprenticeships’.

The average starting salary for a degree apprentice in

2019 was £17,800 per year,

WHY APPLY?

– Earn a real wage;

– Be trained in the skills employers want;

– Set yourself up for the future – apprentices enjoy

marked salary increases when they complete their

training, and those completing a higher apprenticeship

could see increased earnings of an estimated £150,000

over their lifetime.*

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Apprenticeships are available to anyone over the age

of 16, living in the UK and have no upper age limit.

The National Apprenticeship Service is committed

to ensuring that high quality apprenticeships are a

prestigious option, accessible to all people from all

backgrounds. All vacancies on Find an Apprenticeship

(https://www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship) will clearly

state what the entry requirements are for the job role

being advertised.

There will be different entry requirements depending on

the industry, job role and apprenticeship level.

Recent changes to the minimum English and maths

requirements now mean that people with a learning

difficulty or disability can now access a level 2

intermediate apprenticeship as long as they can achieve

an entry level 3 qualification during their apprenticeship.

A Disability Confident Employer will generally offer an

interview to any applicant that declares they have a

disability and meets the minimum criteria as defined

by the employer. For more details, search Disability

Confident on GOV.UK.

36

WHERE TO LOOK FOR AN APPRENTICESHIP?

With so many opportunities on offer, there are several

ways you can find an apprenticeship. More details,

including videos of current apprentices, are available at

apprenticeships.gov.uk. You can search and apply for

vacancies on Find an Apprenticeship on GOV.UK. When

you register, you can set up email and text alerts for new

vacancies which may be of interest.

For more information on employers you can visit the

vacancy snapshot at amazingapprenticeships.com.

It displays a range of employers fact files outlining the

types of apprenticeship vacancies available at these

companies across the year. If you have a specific interest

in a certain employer, it is also worth going direct to their

recruitment site.

You could also meet employers and their apprentices

through the live broadcast feature. In these interviews,

you can take a look behind the scenes of a range of

different employers and meet some of their apprentices

amazingapprenticeships.com/live-broadcasts.

Contact the National Apprenticeship Helpdesk for

further support on 0800 015 0400 or by email

nationalhelpdesk@findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk.

The YouTube channel has useful hints and tips on

applying plus other videos on apprenticeships, visit

YouTube and search apprenticeships/NAS.

HOW TO APPLY?

At any one time on Find an Apprenticeship there are

between 12,000 - 20,000 apprenticeships vacancies

online available at gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship, in a

variety of careers and industries. You can search by

keyword (job role, occupation type or apprenticeship

level) and by location. In addition, some employers

advertise vacancies on their website. Once the right job

comes up, simply register on the website and follow the

step by step instructions to apply for the role.

WHAT’S THE ROLE OF THE TRAINING PROVIDER?

The training provider has a key role to play in providing

off-the-job training, assessing progress towards

achieving qualifications and supporting you generally

during their apprenticeship. They work very closely with

the employer to ensure that the apprentice receives:

on average at least one day per week of formal training,

higher than the proportion in 2016 (43%).

You can find out more about learner satisfaction with

training organisations and colleges by accessing the

learner satisfaction survey results on the FE Choices

pages of GOV.UK.

HOW MANY HOURS PER WEEK WILL AN

APPRENTICE BE WORKING?

The minimum duration of each apprenticeship is based

on the apprentice working 30 hours a week or more,

including any off-the-job training you undertake.

However, this does not apply in every circumstance. For

example, people with caring responsibilities or people

with a disability may work reduced weekly hours. Where

this is the case, the duration of the apprenticeship will be

extended to take account of this.

The time spent on off-the-job training should be at

least 20% and should be included as part of working

hours. The employer must allow time to complete the

apprenticeship within the working hours. If support

is needed with English and maths, the should also be

within their normal working hours.

FURTHER SUPPORT

Additionally, a £1,000 bursary is available to support for

care leavers starting apprenticeships who are aged 16-

24, this will be paid directly to them in the first year

of the apprenticeships. You can also find more details

on GOV.UK.

If you need help with you apprenticeship application or

professional advice on making the right choices, visit

nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk for a web-chat with

an adviser or call: 0800 100 900 (free from landlines

and mobiles).

To follow the National Apprenticeship Service:

@Apprenticeships / @FireItUp_Apps

@fireitupapps

FireItUpApps

Visit apprenticeships.gov.uk or call 08000 150 400

– an induction programme on starting

– a detailed training plan (including on-the-job training)

– regular progress reviews

– opportunities to put into practice off-the-job

learning so that they can achieve their qualifications/

requirements of the apprenticeship

– mentoring and general support throughout the

apprenticeship

This will all be documented in a commitment statement

that is part of the Apprenticeship Agreement. This is an

individual learning plan that the provider, the employer

and apprentice will all sign up to.

According to the Apprenticeship Pay Survey, 9% of Level

2 and Level 3 GB apprentices stated that they received

37

Creative, Arts & Media

If you have a flair for design and creativity, or you are

attracted by a career in the performing arts, then this

could be the career sector for you.

With the digital boom, the global push

towards innovation, and a growing

cultural economy, creativity is capital

and design is at the forefront.

Creative thinking is a highly prized

attribute in almost every industry, and

there are a multitude of opportunities

available to those who study art, design

and architecture. From developing a

diverse skillset to designing your own

career, there’s many reasons why you

should value your creativity and passion

and ignore the naysayers.

While artistic talent can provide a

strong foundation for a career in design,

perhaps more important is a willingness

to develop technical skills and an ability

to solve problems creatively.

The creative industries cover much

more than just TV and theatre; they

encompass everything from film to

fashion and music to gaming. The sector

is one of the fastest growing industries

in the UK. There are over 2 million jobs

in creative industries, contributing an

estimated 5.5% towards the UK’s GDP.

Apart from actors, dancers and

musicians, there are many more

technically skilled jobs in production,

lighting and sound engineering, not

forgetting marketing, advertising and

communications.

Research shows that the creative

industries are on average at low or no

risk of automation compared to other

sectors. The skills used in innovation

aren’t easily replaceable by a machine

and, in fact, computers complement

most creative processes, making

creative skills more productive.

38

Engineering

If you have a mechanical aptitude, love solving problems

and you want to earn an above average salary, you

should consider a career in engineering. The application

of engineering is all around us, using knowledge of

science and mathematics to help improve our lives.

Engineers design, create, research and find alternative

and better solutions.

There are many different types of

engineering, including civil engineering,

computer software, electronic, chemical,

medical and mechanical engineering.

The skills you learn through study and

experience are highly sought after by

employers, especially analytical thinking,

attention to detail, numeracy,

communication and computer

technology, all of which are highly

transferable skills.

University graduates with a degree in

engineering tend to earn around 20%

more than the average graduate earns

over their career. The industry is actively

looking for over 200,000 new skilled

recruits every year and is especially

seeking to attract more women and

students from BAME backgrounds.

39

INVESTING IN SKILLS,

DRIVING SUCCESS

Do you want to work in film and television but don’t know

where to start? Whether you are practical or creative, an

organiser or good with figures, there could be a role for you

in the UK’s screen industries and we can help you find it.

Seetha Kumar, CEO of ScreenSkills, takes you through the

options available and the routes you can take.

Seetha Kumar,

CEO, ScreenSkills

Hair and make-up are

among the many craft

and technical jobs in the

screen industries.

@Erroll Jones/ScreenSkills

ScreenSkills is the industry-led charity

responsible for skills and training at

every stage of a career in screen,

which also includes visual effects

(VFX), animation and video games.

We don’t train actors but cover

the wide array of jobs behind the

camera – and there are lots of them.

Television shows and movies need

directors, producers and writers

as well as electricians, carpenters

and hair and make-up artists, not

forgetting the visual effects artists

and animators, accountants and

publicists. Britain’s screen industries

are world-famous. And, while some

production was stopped, temporarily,

by the Covid-19 pandemic, these

industries are growing.

It is true that jobs in this area are

highly competitive, but they are also

40

very keen to recruit. Many roles are

freelance, where you go from project

to project and are not employed by

a single employer. This may mean

some positions are not ideal work

for anyone who wants the certainty

of a “regular” nine-to-five job. The

work is often demanding and may

mean long and irregular hours at

busy times. But it is also exciting

and rewarding and offers many

opportunities. The diligent and

talented can earn a good living.

How do you decide whether a

career in screen might be for you?

One way is through initiatives such

as the BBC’s Digital Cities, which

offers a programme of free events.

ScreenSkills careers team also

attend careers events such as

skills shows as well as providing

information, for example through

online sessions offering people

the chance to explore the options

available in the UK screen industries

and as a taster of what to expect.

Other support can include advice

on writing CVs and how to make

contacts and network. For people

who have already acquired some

experience in the industry, there

is the ScreenSkills Trainee Finder

scheme, where successful applicants

receive basic training on issues

such as health and safety and set

etiquette – the dos and don’ts of

how to behave during filming –

before undergoing paid placements

on films and prestigious television

dramas from Wonder Woman and

James Bond – No Time to Die to

Derry Girls and Black Mirror or

children’s shows such as Hetty

Feather or Molly and Mack.

We have careers information on our

website including approximately 200

job profiles for screen roles. There

are also downloadable resources for

teachers and parents so that anyone

can learn more about jobs in screen.

One of the things ScreenSkills is

trying very hard to do is to create

a more level playing field. Film,

television, animation, VFX and

games should not be restricted to

those already in the know so we are

developing clearer routes into the

screen industries such as ways for

potential recruits to find courses that

should help them get in, even if they

have no connections in the industry.

For example, if you are thinking

of pursuing your ambitions at a

university or further education

(FE) college, we have ScreenSkills

Select which is a signpost to

courses relevant to a career in the

screen industries. We work with

industry experts to identify courses

that deliver the practical skills and

knowledge employers want. We list

all the courses that are awarded the

ScreenSkills Select endorsement

in a searchable directory on the

ScreenSkills website.

Until now, ScreenSkills Select – an

enhanced version of ScreenSkills’

old accreditation system known as

the Tick – was largely adopted by

universities, but we are collaborating

with colleagues in education to make

it work for further education, too. We

are developing more apprenticeship

standards and arguing for

amendments to make the system

work better, because being paid

to learn opens up the industry to

people who might not otherwise be

able to join. Although there is a need

for more apprenticeships and for the

system to work better for the screen

industries, they do already exist,

and major broadcasters are a good

place to start if you are interested

in this route. There are screenrelated

apprenticeships such as

broadcast engineer, carpentry and

joinery, junior animator or as an

assistant accountant.

Once you’re in the industry, we

encourage you to stay in touch,

as we have courses to keep the

workforce up-to-date. Anyone aged

18 or over can register to become

part of our community and you can

choose to showcase your latest

work history and details of any skills

and training you have. Once you

have registered, you can apply for

a range of workshops, seminars,

masterclasses or other training,

much of it free. For example, special

online learning was developed to

apply health and safety rules for

the prevention of the spread of

Covid-19 to the reality of working

on set or location. ScreenSkills also

offers a mentoring programme, the

ScreenSkills Mentoring Network.

There are more jobs than many

people realise in the UK’s screen

industries and they cover a wide mix

of skills. The rapid growth of recent

years means that there are skills

gaps and skills shortages in many

areas from accounts to locations

and script supervisors to production

coordinators. Many TV dramas and

films were forced to stop production

when the coronavirus pandemic hit

hard, but the industry worked closely

with the UK government to enable

the safe return to work and all the

evidence of lockdown was that

the content the industry produces

remains in high demand.

A career for life

Research by the innovation

foundation Nesta before the

pandemic suggests that workers in

the creative industries are much

less likely than most to be replaced

by robots in future. There is

widespread confidence that this

remains the case.

It is also a sector that is trying hard

to become more inclusive as it

knows that it is important to have a

workforce that reflects the society

in which we live – workers who can

help television, film and animation to

tell a greater variety of stories about

different people’s experiences.

Mim Shaikh, the actor, writer and

broadcaster on television and radio

including the BBC Asian Network

and Radio 1, is a ScreenSkills

ambassador because he is keen

to encourage others to consider a

career in the industry. “Nobody in

my family had done anything like

this before. Everybody in our family

had done the same thing – to go

and work as an accountant, lawyer,

in finance or medicine,” he says.

“Nobody did anything out of the

norm. I’m so glad I did. My younger

cousins have been able to see

what my life is like, work-wise. They

never knew something like that was

possible before. I’m a living example

that you can build your own network.

It can be easier if you come from a

middle-class family who can help

you. But it can be done, even from

humble beginnings and if your family

are working-class.”

“We need more

diverse storytelling

and the only way

we can achieve that

is by having more

diverse storytellers”

Nainita Desai, the composer of

music for film and TV including

David Attenborough’s Wildlife on

One, says: “We need more diverse

storytelling and the only way we

can achieve that is by having more

diverse storytellers, be they on

screen talent or off screen talent

to embrace a more comfortable,

inclusive, eclectic environment.”

She adds: “Nurturing up-and-coming

composers and making people

aware of what writing music for

the media involves is something

I strongly believe in. There are of

course many degree level courses

in music and there are a handful of

postgraduate courses… However,

there are many ways to climb a

mountain, whether you choose to

go down the formal education route

or not.”

Amma Asante, the screenwriter and

director of films such as Belle and

TV series like The Handmaid’s Tale,

is a ScreenSkills patron because:

“I’m passionate about how the

industry can find ways to open up

training, employment and retention

of crew from diverse backgrounds

and under-represented groups,

creating viable opportunities for

success. What progress we will

have made when it becomes normal

to step on a set and see not only

black women directors but, for

example, black women grips and

sparks [electricians], directors

of photography and location

managers.”

Get in touch if you want to know

more. Visit www.screenskills.com or

email careers@screenskills.com

41

Creative Access’ TOP TIPS

for undertaking a VIRTUAL

INTERNSHIP

Working from home has become the new norm. Who would have thought?

Creative organisations are having to find other ways of delivering valuable

pathways to employment for industry entrants – and virtual internships have

proven to be a big hit.

So, if you’re still searching for one,

keep sending targeted applications

and stay positive. Creative Access

helps talented individuals from

groups that are under-represented

in the sector in terms of ethnicity,

socio-economic background, or

disability to enter the creative

industries. We’ve placed dozens of

new interns during the Pandemic in

creative organisations such as ITV,

Apple, The National Theatre, The

Economist, and Pan Macmillan and

we have many more on our website

being advertised each day.

Leyla Mohammed interned at

Creative Access for four weeks and,

despite the initial nerves around

starting a full-time internship from

42

the very same home she’d already

spent four months locked down in,

she found the experience positive:

“I can safely say that

my apprehension was

unnecessary – every

aspect of the remote

internship was enjoyable.

Every day brought

something new and, as I

grew more comfortable,

I learned how to effectively

work from home, which

made everything easier

and much more valuable.”

For many people, internships are the

first step of their professional career.

A virtual internship may not allow

you to do things typically associated

with starting at a new employer,

but they are also proving great ways

– especially for those not based in

main cities where many employers

are based – to get valuable

experience. In order to make the

best out of this remote experience,

we’ve put together our top ten tips:

1

Separate your workspace

from your leisure space:

Everyone’s living circumstances

are different. Your colleagues will

have children, pets, flatmates,

partners, and parents that they

might have to interact with

during the working day. People

will understand if there are

disruptions due to working at

home for you too. That said, try

to create an environment that

comes across as professional

and that is conducive to work,

where distractions are kept to

a minimum. At the end of the

day, you’ll want to change your

scenery and switch off from work

mode, so ideally you’ll be able to

separate work from pleasure.

2

Establish a routine:

As tempting as it might be

to roll out of bed five minutes

before your first meeting starts,

waking up early and getting

ready as if you were going into

an office will mentally prepare

you to be the most productive

you can.

3

Embrace learning in all

its forms:

An internship is a learning

experience, so if you’re given

feedback on your performance

and work, consider yourself

lucky and make note of it! Use

the feedback to learn and grow,

so that your contributions to

the team become more and

more valuable. Embrace other

opportunities that will help you

better understand your role, the

work your colleagues do, and

how everything comes together

within the organisation.

4

Be confident and curious:

Confidence goes a long

way, especially when joining an

established team as an intern.

Have confidence in your thoughts

and ideas – employers always

want to hear fresh and new

perspectives; Remember in order

to have secured this opportunity

in the first place, you must be a

very strong candidate.

5

Ensure clear and frequent

communication:

Understand the culture

of communication in your

organisation:

• Understand what is expected

of you and when

• Know who to speak to or run

drafts by, and how

• Know when lunchtime is

and when your work day is

expected to end

• Check in frequently with your

manager during the day (don’t

forget to pick up the phone as

well as email)

• Send an update at the end

of each day what you’ve

completed today and what

you’re tackling tomorrow

• Your manager should be there

if you need any help, or if your

work needs re prioritising

6

Network:

Use this internship to make

as many connections as you

can with anyone you come

into contact with during your

internship. Attend as many virtual

professional and social events as

you can. Ask your line manager

who else you should e-meet

in the organisation. Use this

opportunity to set up a LinkedIn

profile – if you don’t already have

one – so you can stay in touch

with all the people you meet

during the internship.

7Ask questions:

Ask questions, not just about

your role, but in an attempt

to understand the ‘why’ – the

bigger organisational picture.

Remember you are an intern so

can legitimately ask as many

questions as you like!

8

Own up!

We all make mistakes;

it’s part of normal life. Don’t

be afraid to take responsibility

for errors and use that as an

opportunity to learn for another

occasion.

9

Be kind to yourself:

We know you’ll want to

make a good impression, but

remember not to overwork

yourself. You don’t need to work

outside of contracted hours

(except of course for extenuating

situations). Rest is an important

part of work – it allows you to

recharge, stay sharp and focused,

and a fresh mind often helps

breed fresh ideas.

“It’s a common guilt

complex where people

working from home

feel the need to work

outside of hours, or even

around the clock. I can

attest to this – there

were days where I felt

like I had to start early

or finish late (on my

own accord, of course).

Recognise that this is a

common guilt complex

that comes with the

process of getting used

to working from home.

Going out of your way

to do extra work is great

to an extent, but don’t

overdo it!”

– Leyla Mohammed

10

Stay in touch:

If you want more advice

about entering the creative

industries, we have always got

dozens of great roles the length

and breadth of the UK on our

Opportunities page. We’ve also

got lots of great resources,

events – including regular CV

clinics – and competitions. stay

in touch with Creative Access.

You can reach us on any of the

following ways:

@_creativeaccess

@_creativeaccess

Creative Access

Creative Access

Register with us at:

www.creativeaccess.org.uk

43

Inspiring Diversity

in the Professional

Clothing Industry

Yvette Ashby is the Founder and CEO of PCIAW® and has been

an influential player in the professional clothing industry for

over 20 years. Yvette was directly approached to lead PCIAW®

because there was no association dedicated to representing

the professional clothing industry and it was her experience

which sought to fill the void.

Throughout Yvette’s career running

the Professional Clothing directore

magazine, her passion for textiles

and innovation knew no bounds and

it was this desire for progression,

which saw the creation of PCA

Vision Awards, which provided

opportunity to a diverse pool of

student talent to compete for a

globally-esteemed prize for the best

designs for professional clothing.

44

Yvette and the rest of the PCIAW®

team were closely involved when

the COVID-19 pandemic hit in

March and April 2020 and were

instrumental in solving some of the

issues involved with trying to satisfy

the huge global spike in demand for

safe and appropriate quality PPE

equipment, all while dealing with a

lockdown and a media near-frenzy

on the topic.

The UK workwear and PPE markets

are valued at £8.66 billion and

employ over 44,000 local workers.

BAME Magazine interviewed Yvette

and asked her what a career in

professional clothing has to offer

young people.

Hi, Yvette, can you tell us a little

about the PCIAW® and what

your organisation does?

The Professional Clothing Industry

Association Worldwide (PCIAW®)

is a non-profit association. We

are the voice of the professional

clothing industry and comprise a

network of thousands of global

businesses across the entire

international supply chain for

workwear, corporatewear and PPE.

The core objective of PCIAW® is

to connect the entire supply chain

and to create opportunities to help

businesses develop by putting

buyers in touch with suppliers.

Our purpose is to create a platform

for businesses in the professional

clothing industry to share their

voice and message, regardless of

size. We build relationships with

businesses from around the world

to help connect the industry, in

order to learn from each other – no

matter how long you have been in

the professional clothing industry,

there’s always more to learn. The

PCIAW® has a great responsibility

to represent the industry and offer

opportunities to businesses in the

professional clothing industry with

a passion for quality and innovation.

As a non-profit industry association,

the PCIAW® works in the interest of

our Trusted Members. We ensure

our members have a voice and are

represented by our organisation’s

structure which includes a nonexecutive

Board of Directors,

composed by a selection of PCIAW®

members to reflect different

international perspectives.

What motivated you to develop

a career in the professional

clothing industry?

Throughout my childhood, back

in Jamaica, my mother and father

encouraged me to make all my own

clothes – hats, coats and everything

and so when I think back, I can

pinpoint my passion for textiles back

to these memories.

What motivated me? I have to laugh

at this one – I was told once that it

was a man who invented the padded

bra and I just couldn’t believe it.

Why would a man be developing

something as sensitive as my bra?

It really upset me, how would a

man know if a bra was comfortably

designed?

So I thought, you know what, we

need to encourage young girls and

young women to come into our

industry and work, bringing out

the best of who we are as females,

and who we are as people and just

keep on pushing forward. Without

diversity, we would continue having

people designing garments who in

no way represent the individual

who wears them.

“Females with an

Asian background

had a 65% fit rate

on first attempt,

which highlights

the need for greater

consideration

of diversity in

end users.”

How important is diversity

and inclusion within the textile

industry?

Professional clothing is a global

industry which clothes diverse

people across the world. Corporate–

wear contributes to a business’

brand image, for example in the

airline and travel sectors; banking,

hospitality and event industries,

plus supermarkets and more, whilst

workwear and PPE offers protection

to end users when working in

potentially hazardous environments.

It is imperative that the product

design in the professional clothing

industry considers variations in size

and fit for diverse populations, as

it is clear that women and BAME

individuals are not sufficiently

catered for.

PCIAW® Board Director, Natalie

Wilson wrote an article in the latest

edition of PCIAW®VOICE magazine,

which reported on the fit rates of

PPE during the pandemic – 90% of

Caucasian wearers could fit properly

on the first attempt compared

to 85% of people from an Asian

background. Females with an Asian

background had a 65% fit rate on

first attempt, which highlights the

need for greater consideration of

diversity in end users.

The bulk of our clothing is made by

people with diverse backgrounds

and we have to celebrate and

include them.

Do you have any diversity

networks at the PCIAW®?

Not enough. When I look back

upon my own experiences, I can

remember when I started hosting the

Professional Clothing Awards over 12

years ago at the Metropole Hotel in

Birmingham. I had over 500 people

attend and when I looked around

the room and I could count on one

hand how many people were from a

black or ethnic minority group.

Realising this said something to

me – that I have to make sure that

on this international platform,

everybody is recognised, no matter

who they are or where they are

from – again, I say that it’s about

those who innovate who count. It is

important to see newcomers enter

the industry and give the industry

leaders a run for their money.

In 2016, I recognised the need

for young designers to take an

interest in the professional clothing

industry so I started PCA Vision

and travelled around the country

visiting universities and their

tutors and students to create a

competition to design functional

workwear, corporatewear and PPE.

The first competition had almost

200 students taking part from all

the universities which was a huge

challenge to judge them – PCA

Vision is about inclusivity and equal

opportunities purely based on talent.

What advice would you give for

young BAME students wanting

to work in textiles?

The professional clothing industry

has an ageing workforce and it is

important that we encourage the

reinvigoration of skills and talent by

supporting the younger generation

from all walks of life. The Black Lives

Matter has brought the disparities

of opportunities to the forefront

and I would love to see more BAME

individuals training to enter the

textile industry.

When most people think of studying

textiles, they think of the fashion

industry. I want young people

to know that the professional

clothing industry is growing. It is

continuously innovating and there

are opportunities available.

What I want to say to everyone is,

don’t be afraid. If you have a talent

and passion for textiles, then come

45

on, let’s see your light shine and

let us see what you’re worth. Don’t

sit back and think it will never be

your chance because I recognise

everyone, no matter who they are,

no matter where they are in the

world, they will have something of

value to contribute.

The PCIAW® works closely

with the UKFT, who run a Skills

Council, which offers training

courses, apprenticeships and job

opportunities, which is open to all.

https://www.ukft.org/skills-andtraining/

What obstacles may BAME

candidates face when joining

the fashion industry?

I think people are now beginning

to open their eyes. We’re here in

the UK, and we’ve been pushing

the government to encourage

manufacturing closer to home, which

offers environmental benefits as well

social and economic opportunities.

The PCIAW® has hosted several

webinars on nearshoring

manufacturing of professional

clothing and I’m working tirelessly

to offer greater opportunities for

people and businesses and the

response has been phenomenal,

people are finally starting to get it.

The PCIAW® has a voice that goes

into government. We worked with

the UKFT to lobby for opportunities

for UK businesses to benefit from

government procurement contracts

and worked hard to educate the

National Audit Office and the UK

Cabinet Office on the complexities

of manufacturing and procuring

PPE. I have just joined the UK Home

Office Employers’ Consultation

Group to ensure fair working

practices and immigration policies.

We expect more opportunities for

the industry to arrive based on this

hard work.

I think what is lacking at the

moment is knowledge, pure and

simple – I and the PCIAW® hopes

to fix this going forward. From my

point of view, PCIAW® should aim

to achieve more. I want to invest

more money into making sure

that anybody who knocked on my

door could be pointed in the right

direction for advice or we could

help them directly ourselves.

That’s something that I and the

PCIAW® will be working on.

46

“I think it has to be

a state of mind.

BAME candidates

may need to work

twice as hard to

get ahead, so I say,

work three times as

hard and don’t let

anyone get in your

way. Persistence and

perseverance is key.”

Why are BAME candidates not

drawn to the clothing industry

and what are the remedies?

They’ve just got to believe in

themselves. I’m going to take away

the myths. I arrived in this country

from the Caribbean, Jamaica, when

I was just nine years old and my

parents were here to help rebuild

the country. My mother was a nurse,

and I thought to myself, what is

this strange place? The UK was

a foreign land to me. There was

nothing that the UK at the time was

offering me that I wasn’t getting in

my own country.

Personally, I can’t sit here today and

tell you that I have been bullied or

pushed aside. I’ve always respected

myself and tried to be brave –

I think it has to be a state of mind.

If somebody knocks you down, you

get up, brush yourself off and go

with it. BAME candidates may need

to work twice as hard to get ahead,

so I say, work three times as hard

and don’t let anyone get in your

way. Persistence and perseverance

is key. I like to say, ‘you never come

anywhere, you always arrive’.

I think society needs to ensure

opportunities reach all people,

from all backgrounds as the BAME

community have talent and they

need the chance to prove it. I think

confidence is the biggest obstacle

and the remedy is what I referred

to before, don’t let anybody tell you

that you can’t succeed.

What strategies have you put

in place to ensure a pathway

from entry level to senior

management?

My passion is taking on young

people because I love to see them

bring creativity to the business and

to inspire me. When I look for new

people, I set them a task – if they

impress me, I listen – I’m not looking

at their skin colour, age or gender.

I give my team free rein to come to

me and say, I like this or I don’t like

that. I’ve been around for over 25

years and I want to leave a legacy.

The industry is growing, the

association is going to grow. You

have to invest in young people

and people who have passion and

believe in what you’re doing. That

will drive them up the ladder quicker

than anything else. But I encourage

everybody to know your worth and

speak your truth.

“You have to invest

in young people

and people who

have passion and

believe in what

you’re doing. That

will drive them up

the ladder quicker

than anything else.”

What would be the main

attraction for young people in

the industry?

When I visit the universities for the

young designers awards, I ask them

about their ambitions and they tell

me they want to be like Vivienne

Westwood. With respect, not

everyone can be Vivenne Westwood

but there are plentiful opportunities

to rise to the top in a way that is

secure and stable, with a path for

real growth and development. One

day, you may even take over from

Vivienne Westwood with your own

skills and innovations because like

me, she’s not going to live forever.

You have to start somewhere and I

think about how many people have

left university only with degrees

in fashion and textiles or garment

technology, only to go on and work

in McDonalds. That breaks my heart.

I want to see the passion and talent

to be put to good use. People

and businesses want their brand

image to look good. You wouldn’t

board an airline without seeing

the flight attendants dressed in

beautiful uniforms. You wouldn’t

see a firefighter running into a

burning building without being fully

kitted-out. You wouldn’t go into a

stylish hotel and not see the staff

looking glamorous. You ask what

the attraction is for young people

wanting to work in the professional

clothing industry – it’s that there is

so much style and functionality to

innovate with, the only limit is your

imagination.

This is what we want to instil in

young people. Look, open your eyes

and carve your pathway until you

reach the heights of being a star like

Vivienne Westwood.

To find out more about us

and about working in the

professional clothing industry

visit https://pciaw.org

47

CREATIVITY,

COMMUNITY,

CHANGE

Photography courtesy

Sylvie Belbouab

We speak to Sanaz Amidi about

Rosetta Arts, a community based

hub for art and creative learning

in the heart of east London

You’ve been CEO and Trustee at

Rosetta Arts since 2007. What’s

the purpose of the charity and

how do you see your role there?

Rosetta Arts changes communities

through creativity.

From our visual arts learning centre

and gallery in West Ham we offer

creative courses, projects, events

and exhibitions to the diverse people

of Newham who otherwise have little

access to the transformative benefits

of the arts.

What we offer is so much more

than simply access to the arts. We

offer every person we encounter a

chance to live the life they choose

– whether that’s pursuing a career

or education in the arts, having a

personal passion, feeling emotionally

and socially confident, or feeling

connected to the people and

communities around them.

48

My ambition is to make sure that

the work that we do, the work in

opening people’s imaginations,

in making the arts accessible, in

making it possible for people who

may not want to work in the arts

but who want to have their voices

heard, who want to say things that

directly affect them – voices that

you would not hear under normal

circumstances – ensuring that those

voices are heard. Essentially, my role

focuses on shaping, empowering

and leading excellent people and

teams to do this.

I believe that our success stems from

setting a clear vision and sharing

a set of goals to which people can

aspire and commit. I have learned

that my values of passion, drive,

integrity, courage and empathy are

the tools with which I work with

people to collectively implement and

achieve transformational change.

What was it about the ethos

of the organisation that first

attracted you to become

involved?

Our start 28 years ago was

in a school called Rosetta

in Canning Town and was

because of an amazing

woman with an

extraordinary vision

for art education

called Yvonne

Humble. She’s the

one who really set

our goal of opening

up the arts to people

in Newham. She’s the

one who, in Rosetta, took under

her wing a young local boy called

Lee, tutored and mentored him to

develop his skills and portfolio and

then wrote his reference supporting

his application to CSM. Lee went

on to become known worldwide

as Alexander McQueen! In 2021

we are very proud that those

nurturing values are still rooted in

everything we do, underpinning the

development of a talent pipeline that

has nothing to do with class, gender

or ethnicity, but everything to do

with local talent.

What would you say you offer

to the young people who get

involved in your opportunities?

Lots of things! We’re a specialist

provider of programmes addressing

barriers to entering work faced by

young people in London and we

have a whole bunch of opportunities

for young people from our

Saturday School to evening creative

workshops to accredited courses.

All of our programmes are delivered

by local professional artists who

have their own practices so are

inspiring to learn from and help

young people grow their own

professional networks.

At the moment we are recruiting for

young people to join our I Design

My Future programme which is all

about proving creative opportunities

to help young people take charge

of their lives and their careers,

and we’re also looking forward to

holding a free online creative day for

teenagers on 8 April.

And what skills can the young

people develop?

Young people on our programmes

can develop their skills across a

range of artistic techniques, from

drawing and painting to printing,

muraling and pottery, as well as

dance, film-making and acting .

But really there’s much more

to it than learning a particular

kind of artistic practice: we offer

resilience projects to help young

people weather these difficult

times and improve their wellbeing;

teamworking projects developing

co-design skills; mentoring to

build enterprise skills and realworld

opportunities to open

up entry routes to careers in

the fast-growing creative

industries. Understanding

creative careers couldn’t

be more important

right now as the

sector starts growing

again – and there are

more creative jobs in

London than in law

and accounting, but

they often fly under the

radar. And regardless

of whether you want

to enter the creative

industries, creative skills are

needed more than ever by

employers.

You also appear to have

very close ties with the local

residents in east London.

We’re deeply embedded in the local

communities of east London and

that means building long-term and

trusting relationships with residents

from a range of backgrounds. Our

borough is one of the most diverse

in the country, so a lot of what we

do is around tackling inequalities in

participation for BAME residents.

As a grassroots charity, most of our

work is delivered in partnership out

in places and spaces that residents

use every day, and and our partners

range from schools, libraries, and

local businesses, charities to faith

leaders and sport organisations.

Since April 2020, our programmes

have especially focused on upskilling

and improving the wellbeing of

communities disproportionately

affected by COVID, which has been

especially the case for BAME people

in Newham.

Are there any specific

outstanding projects or

exhibitions that you think our

readers would like to hear

about?

We would love your readers to

know about our Artist Accelerator

programme. Every year we scheme

kickstarts the careers of local

emerging artists from diverse

backgrounds with access to

networks, know-how, opportunities

and bursaries, as well as studio

space and mentoring sessions with

experienced professionals, all to

help develop their socially engaged

practices in the community. We’re

really proud of the opportunities

we’ve been able to to provide them

with, not least leading community

engagement workshops for the new

public garden of blossom trees to be

created to commemorate Londoners

who have lost their lives to COVID-19

in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park,

which opens later this year.

How has COVID changed the

way you work?

COVID has of course had an

enormous impact. We have worked

tirelessly to continue to provide

activities for our communities that

improve their wellbeing, upskill

and empower them and it has

required drastic adaption. With

our building inaccessible, we have

had to work from home and deliver

digitally or run restricted COVIDsafe

programmes in external venues

or even outside in parks! We have

had to invest in IT, marketing and

digital infrastructure and train staff

and artists in online and COVIDsafe

delivery. We are providing a lot

more online activities that are totally

free, such as our art workshops for

people who are shielding, bereaved

or unemployed due to COVID, and

our Humble Happiness Hub online

cookery and art courses for people

who are low waged, isolated and

live in the most deprived wards in

Newham. We have found innovative

ways of maintaining engagement,

such as sending free materials/

ingredients to people’s

houses so that everyone

can participate regardless

of income. Its definitely

helped us enter 2021 with

greater resilience and

expertise, but it’s not an

easy time for charities

like ours and so we’re

more than ever reliant

on different sources

of income including

private giving.

Tell us about the

Young Creative

Newham Board.

The Creative Newham

Youth Board is made up of a

group of young people who are

passionate about their local area,

and we are currently recruiting for

more members to join. It provides

opportunities for the members to

get involved in real cultural projects

that happen in the borough, from

commissioning and producing

events to managing budgets

and having their say on creative

developments. Last year they got

involved in Newham Heritage Month,

a local creative wellbeing space

and a covid memorial project in the

Olympic Park, and learned skills

around production and evaluation.

The board is supported by the Mayor

of London and aims to give positive

life choices to young people in the

borough who are at risk of social

exclusion. Some quotes from our

young people on being involved:

‘Having the position of power to

make a difference in people’s lives

through the heritage projects and

events we have selected, and giving

people in Newham an opportunity

to express themselves while creating

diversity, is very rewarding.’

49

‘I have acquired an understanding

of the things that go on in our

community, how to award money to

a project and invest carefully to make

the most out of what you put in’

CASE STUDIES

What advice would you give

young people, particularly those

from BAME backgrounds, who

are interested in a career in the

creative arts?

For many young people choosing a

career can be daunting. Choosing

one in the creative arts, often

without clear career structures or

the support of parents and peers,

access to relevant information

and where there is an under

representation of people who look

or sound like us, can be even more

challenging.

Growing up in East London from a

first generation migrant family who

had ‘traditional’ careers, I had to

rely on the guidance of others to

understand where to take the next

steps or to even know that I could

take them. Mentors have played a

big role in my development, and my

advice would be to build a support

structure around you and seek role

models you aspire to, even if those

people are not in your immediate

circle – it is essential to your success!

Take every opportunity that you

can. Don’t let fear stand in your way.

You might not know if you are going

to enjoy the experience or not but

challenges can teach you that you

are better than you think are.

Your motto is ‘Creativity,

Community, Change’. What

changes do you think Rosetta

Arts helps bring in the local

community?

Our goal is for Rosetta Arts to

transform communities through

creativity. As a community hub

(normally in West Ham and currently

online at https://rosettaarts.org)

we offer creative courses, projects,

events, exhibitions and a platform to

the diverse residents of Newham, so

many of who otherwise have little

access to the transformative benefits

of the arts. We really take the time

to get to know people and nurture

their creativity and that has a huge

ripple effect, putting more artists

on the map locally and really just

allowing more people to connect

with each other and feel good about

themselves through art.

50

ALANNAH FRANCIS

Rosetta Arts Marketing Officer

For the majority of my working

life, I’ve worked in media as a

journalist. I’ve worked at national

newspapers in the UK (The Times

and The Guardian) and smaller,

independent publications.

I started my role as Marketing

Officer at Rosetta Arts in 2020.

Joining the charity during a

pandemic where face-to-face

activities have shifted online,

I’ve witnessed first-hand how

important the arts are to people

during such confusing times. In

my role I’ve been able to build on

my social media and digital skills,

which have been in more demand

than ever at a time when everyone

is online. It’s been great to have

the freedom to get creative about

how we can reach people, be

accessible and stand out in the

digital sphere.

The advice I would give to

young people, especially those

from BAME backgrounds,

who are interested in a career

in the creative arts is to take

advantage of the opportunities

that are available to you. There

are so many free and affordable

activities, courses and clubs that

you can get involved in as a young

person. These are great ways to

explore your passions, experiment

and develop skills. All you need

to do is look in the right places

– and if you can’t find something

that caters to you, create it! I

would also say, don’t give up.

Pursuing a career in the arts can

be challenging but I really believe

that if you’re passionate, creative

and persistent, you can carve out

a space for yourself.

AMBER PERRIER

Rosetta Arts Young Trustee

I came across Rosetta Arts

Centre at the age of 15 joining

in their ‘Young Newham Artists’

programme. I learnt so much on

the History of Art, planning my art

business, drafting a budget plan

and communicating with clients

on commissions.

I returned to Rosetta Arts after

finishing my Fine Art degree at

UEL and supported in delivering

community art courses, preparing

materials and demonstrating

to pupils for Saturday School.

Writing application proposals for

funding and promoting upcoming

creative courses to students.

These skills led me to a traineeship

in Culture and working in Culture

and Heritage and becoming a

Community Engagement Officer

at The British Library.

I am part of the Rosetta Arts

Board as a Young Trustee which

consist of making decisions in the

board meetings, reading through

proposals and plans, alongside

going through strategies with the

board members and CEO.

The advice I would give to young

people who are keen in a career

in the creative arts is to create a

portfolio of varied styles of work.

Join in career workshops, many

offer advice on how to get started

and update your CV. Research

into apprenticeships, traineeships,

or take up work experience to

learn what skills are needed for

a specific role. Participate in

networking sessions, you will

never know who you’ll meet!

Do not be afraid to ask questions,

you won’t know if you don’t ask!

Will ethnicity pay reporting

be mandatory by 2023?

CIPD calls for reporting to be made compulsory to boost workplace equality

While the Black Lives Matter protests

of 2020 prompted organisations

to recognise the importance of

equality and inclusion, just 13 FTSE

100 companies currently report

their ethnicity pay gap. CIPD, the

professional body for HR and people

development, is supporting the

introduction of Mandatory Ethnicity

Pay Reporting and calling for this

to apply to all large employers from

April 2023, to accelerate equality

and create consistency of disclosure.

To support this, the CIPD have

launched a guide to help HR

professionals navigate ethnicity pay

issues, from data collection through

to analysis and reporting the results.

Few organisations have voluntarily

reported their ethnicity pay gaps,

despite increasing expectation

from the public, investors and

other stakeholders. Of the 13 FTSE

100 companies that did so in their

most recent annual report, ten

organisations published for the

first time, suggesting that greater

public scrutiny of race inequalities

prompted them to act.

Tthe Government launched its

first consultation three years ago.

Movement has been too slow for

some, leading to calls for a clear

narrative and action plan.

To support employers on their

complex ethnicity pay reporting

journey the CIPD is suggesting

using the same frameworks are

currently in place for gender pay

gap reporting.

Peter Cheese, chief executive of

the CIPD, said:

“Ethnicity pay reporting is an

important lever for businesses and

their stakeholders to assess if and

where inequality based on ethnicity

exists in their workforce. That’s

why we believe it is so important

that businesses both capture and

learn from this data. While it’s

positive to see some organisations

voluntarily report their ethnicity pay,

it’s clear that progress is slow and

reporting is very inconsistent. Some

companies just report their data

while others report a commitment

without sharing the data behind it.

“We know that gender pay gap

reporting has driven greater

transparency and accelerated

progress, and we believe the same is

needed for ethnicity pay reporting.

Mandatory reporting of data, and

the associated narrative that shows

understanding of the data and the

actions being taken to improve, for

both ethnicity and gender pay, will

help create fairer workplaces and

societies and kickstart real change.”

Baroness Ruby McGregor-Smith,

author of the 2017 McGregor-Smith

review on race in the workplace said:

“It must be a collective goal that

our organisations reflect the

communities we live in and

mandatory ethnicity pay data

gives businesses, investors, and

regulators the tools they need

to see the current reality and

where changes need to happen.

It’s only once we see organisations

publicly start to report the diversity

of their workforce that we will see

real change start to happen.”

Research has found that while

most employers (77%) believe

that ensuring diversity is a priority,

only 36% collect and analyse data

to identify differences in pay and

progression for employees from

different ethnic groups.

The type of data collected is

also an issue if it is to be useful.

Uniform, commonly defined

statistics, in line with six data points

organisations are already collecting

for gender pay gap reporting:

median ethnicity pay gap; mean

ethnicity pay gap; median bonus

gap; mean bonus gap; bonus

proportions and quartile pay bands.

The CIPD is recommending two

additional data points;

• The proportion of the total UK

workforce from ethnic minorities,

ideally in the context of external

and regional demographics (i.e. the

local communities where companies

are based).

• The proportion of employees who

have disclosed their ethnicity, as

low disclosure rates have been a

challenge for many employers and

can also indicate concern about

how that could be used.

Good data is a vital tool to profile

each organisation or industry sector

and create meaningful action plans,

and may help explain the nature and

causation of any pay differentials

and gaps by ethnic group evident

in the statistics.

“Mandatory reporting…

and the associated narrative

that shows understanding

of the data and the actions

being taken to improve,

will help create fairer

workplaces and societies

and kickstart real change.”

51

RECRUITMENT

IN A POST COVID

LANDSCAPE

As COVID restrictions begin

to lift in the UK, we have to

hope that the end is in sight

and the creative sector, which was

so badly hit during the pandemic,

can start to rebuild and recruit

once again. At Creative & Cultural

Skills, we are committed to ensuring

that this rebuilding will be led by

initiatives such as Creative Kickstart

and apprenticeships, which can give

young people from all backgrounds

the opportunity to pursue their

creative career path, learning and

earning at the same time.

Apprenticeships have the potential

to attract a broad and diverse range

of talent into our workforce. This

not only ensures we can address

our sector’s skills needs but can

also go some way to helping

ensure the creative workforce is

representative of the communities

it seeks to engage. Our own

research shows that employers

believe apprenticeships will become

increasingly more important in

helping to address skills shortages

in the future.

The creative sector has already

demonstrated its ability to bounce

back stronger from major economic

challenges. Following the recession

in 2008, the creative industries grew

exponentially in the years thereafter,

making it the fastest growing and

second largest sector in the UK

economy. An even greater challenge

faces the sector now, so we want to

help it build back stronger and fairer.

Apprenticeships must be part of

how we do this.

To those who believe the creative

industries might be a second-rate

option for a career, please think

again. The UK’s creative industries

are world leading, from our awardwinning

television and film, our

cutting-edge music, our factual

and fictional story-telling, our

design that aids everyday living, our

architecture, our clothes, the objects

we house that help us learn about

what has gone before to inform our

thinking about the future, our artists

who make us question the world

around us, and our performers who

entertain and challenge us.

To maintain our status, we must

remember to be a sector that is for

everyone, by everyone, and with

everyone. This means we must open

our doors even more widely and

remove the barriers that we have

placed in the way of diverse talent.

We must become inclusive in our

thinking and in our actions, which

includes recruiting via a range of

routes that support individuals to

learn and develop in ways that help

them flourish. This means ending

unpaid work, embracing difference in

all its guises, and removing pointless

pre-requisites for entry.

While we don’t think apprenticeships

are a singular fix for our sector’s

workforce issues, evidence

shows apprenticeships increase

productivity, generating on average

£26-£28 for the economy for every

pound invested in them. Higher

level apprentices will earn £150,000

more on average over the course

of their career than their academic

counterparts, and more than 90%

of apprentices will stay in paid

employment at the end of their

“

Apprenticeships have the potential to

attract a broad and diverse range of talent

into our workforce. This not only ensures

we can address our sector’s skills needs

but can also go some way to helping ensure

the creative workforce is representative of

the communities it seeks to engage.

”

52

apprenticeship. No student debt,

a salary throughout, a job at the end,

and a skilled and diverse workforce

to boot. What’s not to like?

And for those that think

apprenticeships are only for plumbers

and electricians, how about training

to be a Venue Technician, a Curator,

a Jewellery Maker, or an Animator?

These are just a tiny sample of the

occupations that can be trained for

via an apprenticeship in the creative

industries.

Without diverse voices and

experiences to influence thinking,

bring out a wider range of ideas,

challenge norms and drive change,

organisations risk becoming

irrelevant. To shine a light on this,

we have recently launched a

podcast series on the theme of

‘Build Back Fairer’. We talk to

professionals from across the

creative and cultural sector and hear

from young people at the start of

their careers, to explore the impacts

and opportunities that may have

been heightened by, or arisen, during

the pandemic.

Let’s work together to make

apprenticeships and fair access an

everyday part of how we operate.

At Creative & Cultural Skills,

we work to create fair and skilled

cultural sector for the next

generation of talent by raising

awareness and shaping skills,

education and employment best

practice. For further information,

to learn about our current

programmes or to contact us,

please visit www.ccskills.org.uk

53

Education

It’s no surprise many young people opt for a career in

education. Teachers are there as role models and an

inspiration to us all throughout our childhood. They’re a

shoulder to lean on, a voice of reason, and they seem to

know everything. But why should you choose teaching

as your profession?

Everyone remembers a particularly

good teacher who inspired them and

made learning more enjoyable.

If you ask most teachers why they

decided to teach, they’ll mention the

ability to make a real difference in

students’ lives. Working as a teacher,

you’ll have the satisfaction of seeing the

visible results in your students.

Unlike some jobs that can be replaced

by technology, teaching definitely can’t

be, so there’s the prospect of having

security in the role. And when you’re a

qualified teacher, you’ll be able to work

many places around the world.

If you have a desire to progress in your

career, teaching has a very clear path

to do so. From heads of department to

headteacher, there are opportunities to

go as high as you’d want to.

There will always be a need for good

teachers, and there are particular

shortages in STEM subjects.

Whichever subject you are passionate

about, you can use that drive to teach

and mentor students, but also nothing

encourages you to continue to learn

more about a topic than when you’re

teaching it. Children are inquisitive,

often asking questions you’d never

thought of, and this encourages new

thinking and constantly prompts you to

be up new ideas and technologies.

54

55

A message from our Head of

Faculty and previous trainees

The University of Cambridge

teaches Ofsted ‘Outstanding’

PGCE courses in a long-established

and fully integrated partnership

with a broad range of schools. We

have thought a great deal about

the PGCE programme itself, from

Open Days that enable prospective

students to explore options to the

development of a highly supportive

approach to training.

The Cambridge PGCE has an

exceptional reputation and leads

to both QTS and an internationally

recognised PGCE Masters level

qualification.

We all have our own stories of a

teacher who has made a positive

difference to our lives. For me, it

was an enthusiastic young teacher

of social studies who pushed me

to ask different kinds of questions

about institutional power and

inequalities in societies. Without

doubt, his passionate approach

to teaching us was instrumental

in paving an education road that

took me on to university, and a

successful career in education

as a female academic, and now

professor.

As the Head of the Faculty of

Education here in Cambridge, I am

proud to say we are committed to

encouraging BAME students into

our teaching programmes and we

are looking at how we can best

support them so that they become

inspirational teachers.

TRAIN TO TEACH WITH THE

UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE,

FACULTY OF EDUCATION

WHY CONSIDER A CAREER IN

EDUCATION?

One of my key reasons for teaching

is cultivating the unique abilities

of each individual child and seeing

them flourish.

We strive for academic progress for

our students but having an impact

on the social development of a child

is also hugely motivating – seeing a

child hold their head up that little bit

higher, having a little more confidence

and resilience in themselves and

their own ability, and knowing that

you were the one who inspired it

through your teaching.

Aliabbas, Primary PGCE

During my time in sixth form and

while I attended my local Mosque,

I found that I loved teaching and

mentoring students. My biggest

motivator for getting into the

profession was the lack of South

Asian female teachers in my area,

Cambridgeshire. From a young

age, I often found myself asking

the question – why aren’t there

teachers who are like me? For me,

representation is vital.

Currently, as an English teacher

and Bangladeshi British and Muslim

woman, I am able to discuss and

teach my students things that they

might not know. Together we can

also erase any misconceptions that

they might have. I love that!

Rashida, English PGCE

WHAT WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE

OF TRAINING TO TEACH AT THE

UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE?

Choosing to do my PGCE at

Cambridge is probably the best

decision I have ever made. It is

intense, but you are supported every

step of the way. What made it special

for me was the constant support

I got from the Faculty. You spend

most of your time on placement, but

the Faculty remains very involved

every step of the way.

Shola, History PGCE

Every point of view was always

regarded with respect and value, and

everyone was made to feel equal and

valid regardless of their background.

I really think this enriched the entire

PGCE experience, making all of us

feel, as individuals, that we really

had something valid and significant

that we could bring forward into the

teaching profession.


56

The Cambridge PGCE is more than

just a course but a platform for

professional and educational change,

based on vision, support and trust.

I believe that those behind the

Cambridge PGCE truly care about

the profession and the professionals

they are training. I will always

remember my partnership tutor

visiting me and asking if I have asked

for a space to pray in. This may seem

small to someone else, but it meant

the world to me.

Zara, Primary PGCE

DO YOU HAVE A MESSAGE FOR

BAME PEOPLE CONSIDERING

TRAINING TO TEACH?

Go for it! You’re such a valuable

resource as you bring a different life

experience. Do not be afraid or think

that you won’t fit in. This profession

is about learning as well as teaching.

Be willing to take risks and firmly

take hold of every opportunity given

to you.

Zara, Primary PGCE

To my BAME future teachers –

we need more of us in this great

profession. Representation matters

and for those students who are of

the same background as you, they

will feel a sense of comfort and

understanding that ‘Ah Miss/Sir, she/

he gets me’. I’ve experienced this in

my first year of teaching, especially

during the month of Ramadan. Aim

high, look after yourself and always

remind yourself that you can and will

do this.

Rashida, English PGCE

As a male teacher from a minority

ethnic and disadvantaged

background, I experience first-hand

the significance it can have for

children to see a diverse collection

of people make up the team of staff

at their school; people who they

feel they can relate to. Schools are

so diverse now and it is incredibly

important for children to see that

diversity reflected within the staffing

and power structure of the school,

as an insight into the wider society

that they will be integrating into as

they continue to grow.


As a sociologist of education,

I know one thing that can

make a difference to what we

think is possible is that we

recognise others like us who

can act as an inspiring role

model. In their comments,

we can see that this insight

has not been lost on newly

qualified teachers coming

through our PGCE programme

here in Cambridge.

At our Faculty, we recognise

that it is critical for education

providers to actively tackle

the lack of representation of

particular social groups.

Head of Faculty,

Professor Susan Robertson

https://www.educ.cam.ac.uk

57

Join a

top grad

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that

A.

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the bills

B.

Pays it

forward

Unlock the potential in the poorest

children – and the potential in you.

Fight for a fairer future by joining

the most important generation of

teachers and leaders.

ALTER

THE

OUTCOME

teachfirst.org.uk Registered charity, no. 1098294

TEACHING ADDS UP

Recent Teach First Training Programme graduate

Neelam Rajput talks us through her teaching journey,

and what working in teaching has taught her

I’m a British Asian, born in Leicester,

while both of my parents were born

in India. Growing up I would have

loved to have learnt and read more

books at school that represented

my culture and ethnicity. Apart

from books by local author Bali Rai,

I don’t remember us reading any

books that didn’t include mostly

White characters or were written by

White authors.

I joined the Teach First Training

Programme in 2017. Before this I

wasn’t sure what I wanted to do but

since being in the classroom, I’ve

found my confidence growing so

much. I went into teaching so I

could have a direct impact on

the younger generation and with

everything that’s happened in 2020,

it’s made me even more driven to

inspire my pupils.

This year has been difficult for

everyone and schools have had a

lot of challenges to weather. With

COVID-19 leaving many young

people out of school for months,

many of them have had less

access to books and other reading

materials.

But alongside living through a

pandemic, young people have

also been witnessing an important

moment in history. In response

to the most recent Black Lives

Matter movement, a brutally honest

conversation around race has finally

reached the mainstream. Something

which I know could be strengthened

with the right education.

I began efforts to diversify the

English literature we teach in our

Leicester school by providing

our incoming year 7s with books

written by ethnic minority authors.

But books are expensive and with

limited school budgets, I needed to

set up a crowdfunder to get them –

putting a lot of energy into plugging

our plan on social media. Thanks to

a lot of local support, including Bali

Rai himself (who donated a dozen

of his books) we soon achieved our

£1,500 target.

The reactions from the pupils has

been fantastic. They’ve all really

engaged with the books and

enjoyed learning more about the

authors’ wealth of backgrounds,

thanks to the packs we provided.

There’s not enough funding to

replace books in the curriculum so

we’ve been trying to think of other

ways to diversify the books the

pupils read. Since September we’ve

been back in the classroom and I

have started a book club with year 7

pupils where we can chat about the

books we’ve been reading.

Based on my own experience, I

wasn’t hugely surprised to read

Teach First’s latest report, which

found that the biggest exam board

does not include a single book

by a black author in their English

literature GCSE specifications, and

only two ethnic minority authors.

This means pupils can finish school

without reading a single book by a

person of colour.

I was drawn to the Teach First

Training Programme because

of their mission to create a fair

education for all. Because of the

schools that Teach First place

their teachers in, I knew I would

make a big impact on the lives of

pupils from lower socio-economic

backgrounds. When I was at school,

coming from a working-class

background, I found I didn’t always

have as many opportunities as some

of my classmates. I wanted to help

the pupils in that situation now.

For any young people from a BAME

background who are thinking about

teaching, I would just say: go for it!

You can have such a massive impact

on pupils and especially pupils

from minority ethnic backgrounds.

Britain is filled with different

histories, cultures and perspectives,

so it’s vital that our teachings reflect

that. If we don’t educate our young

people diversely, they won’t grow to

become empathetic, well-rounded

members of society – it could make

the greatest difference for the next

generation.

59

Realise your potential

Could you make the grade at AQA?

When people think of exam

boards, most think of teachers and

academics designing exams. But,

in truth, they’re much like any other

company and it’s more than just

people writing tests for students.

As with any modern business,

AQA serves an increasingly diverse

community and has a multitude

of roles that require a small army

of employees to deliver. These

range from accountants to facilities

coordinators, communications

specialists, digital and tech

designers, HR teams, research teams,

as well as all the people that design

and create our assessments.

So, there are lots of opportunities

within AQA that don’t have anything

to do with the academic side of

assessment.

******************************************

ROB DOUGAN is a Recruitment

Advisor in AQA’s Talent and

Resourcing Team. Here he shares his

story about how he came to work in

the world of assessment…

“I’d never envisaged working for

an exam board when I joined AQA

on a temporary contract in 2016.

I’d been working in the hospitality

industry as a bar/nightclub manager

and completing a self-financed

CIPD qualification as I was seeking

a career change to a HR or learning

and development role.”.

“That was when I was approached by

a recruiter from AQA who had seen

my CV on a recruitment site. My only

knowledge of the organisation at

that time was that it was an exam

board and they hired a lot of staff for

temporary roles in the summer.”

“I was fortunate enough to

undertake various temporary roles

across AQA before I secured my

current permanent position, which

helped me understand the many

functions required for the successful

delivery of exams and see that the

people who work here really care

about what they do.”

60

“Development and

career progression

are important to

everyone at AQA,

with opportunities

for further training

available and actively

encouraged.”

“As a Recruitment Advisor, the main

focus of my day-to-day work is

the recruitment of new examiners

required each year to mark AQA’s

exams sat by GCSE and A-level

students. AQA sets and marks the

papers for over half of all GCSEs

and A-levels so the task of recruiting

examiners is hugely important and

vital to the functionality of the

organisation. I also support the

recruitment of senior examiners

that are involved in the creation and

production of exam papers.”

“Recruitment is challenging and my

particular role is testament to that.

Recruiting new examiners each year

at the volumes we require involves

lots of effort, creativity and cross

team communication. At times it

is stressful, but this is fuelled by a

desire to deliver and ensure that

students are supported in their

educational journey.”

“Collaboration across teams and

departments is encouraged and

a necessity for the work I do,

and it’s really useful in helping to

recognise how all functions form

part of the whole.”

“Although I’ve been at AQA for over

four years there are still areas of the

business that I’m yet to fully engage

with and understand and that’s a

good thing. It’s interesting to learn

about the work of other departments

and always encouraging when they

are interested and surprised by some

of the work we do.”

“I feel fortunate to work for an

organisation with the values AQA

has. I’m also grateful to work within

my particular team that is constantly

looking for ways to improve, not

only at a team level but also in ways

that cascade throughout the whole

organisation.”

“Development and career

progression are important to

everyone at AQA, with opportunities

for further training available and

actively encouraged. In the past

year I’ve become a qualified workbased

coach as part of AQA

Coaching Academy Scheme, and

colleagues within my team have or

are undertaking AQA sponsored

qualifications such as CIPD and

other courses, including Empowering

Women and Change Management.”

“There is plenty of opportunity

for career development within the

organisation, but if I chose to seek a

new role outside of AQA I will have

acquired skills to thrive my career in

the future.”

******************************************

AQA has a board of trustees that

come from a range of professional

and cultural backgrounds. They are

responsible for our overall strategy,

policy, educational initiatives and

development, and for steering

AQA to fulfil its educational and

charitable objectives.

AMINA MODAN is an Assistant

Principal at Tauheedul Islam Girls’

High School and recently became

one of the youngest ever members

of AQA’s Board of Trustees. Despite

her youth, Amina has already

amassed a wealth of experience in

education and assessment…

“As a British-Indian Muslim female

from Blackburn, it was a pivotal

moment when I graduated with a

first-class honours degree from the

University of Manchester in 2004.

As the first female in my family to

have graduated, I realised that class,

ethnic and gender barriers could

be broken with; hard work, talent,

passion, candour, perseverance,

prayer and lots of help from others.”

“I began my teaching career

working as a Psychology Teacher

in a Catholic College with the hope

to procure two years of experience

before pursuing a career in

Educational Psychology. However,

stirred by the satisfaction, gratitude

and overwhelming prospect of

shaping young minds, building

potential and inspiring the future of

tomorrow, I focused on developing

a career in mainstream education,

not allowing my ethnicity, gender or

religion to stymie any progression.”

“While continuing to teach, it

became apparent there were very

few BAME role models for the

students. This further fuelled my

desire to progress, I completed

Qualified Teacher Status, and

attained a High Distinction Masters’

in Education. Yet I found the reality

of securing a leadership position

in a school with very few BAME

teachers and leaders to be a

struggle. Undeterred, and driven

by my desire and passion to offer

strategic direction in education, I

acquired the role as a Director of

Learning in the highest performing

school in the country. I continued

learning and building on experiences

by completing National Professional

Qualifications and working as a

Senior Examiner for AQA.”

“With an intrinsic interest in the

role of assessment and using data

astutely to maximise progress and

monitor learning, I was enthralled

in becoming a Board of Trustee

member for AQA. I was extremely

humbled at the warmth and

openness of the organisation when

starting the role during a tumultuous

year for assessments in a COVID

pandemic. I was invited on a panel

for International Women’s Day just a

day after visiting Downing Street for

an International Women’s Day event.

Liaising with them on strategies for

the Equality and Diversity board has

been both rewarding and fulfilling,

to see AQA striving to provide

BAME parity for its employees.”

“Whilst BAME role models were

scarce 15 years ago, I have always

been taught to be the change we

wish to see. I love my role as an

Assistant Principal and Specialist

Leader in Education, as it has

provided opportunities to support

National Professional Qualifications

as well as the BAME Leadership

Programme for Star Institute.”

“I’m excited to have been provided

with a platform to offer strategic

input at Board level for AQA, as

well as recently being appointed as

a member of the AQA Curriculum

and Assessment Quality Committee.

I look forward to continuing

supporting in areas of Assessment

as well as Equality and Diversity and

Customer Relations.”

“My advice to anyone who wishes to

take up a role in such a field is to:

• Ensure you find your anchor in

your passion and strength, this will

make you relentless to continue.

• Find areas you can make a

difference and build others in,

focus on the goal not the role.

• As Ghandi once purported “live as

if you were to die tomorrow, learn

as though you were to live forever”

– knowledge is wealth, continuing

learning.

• As the cliché goes, good things

come to those who wait – don’t

let any knock backs let you settle

for less, believe in yourself, be

patient, and know that you can do

anything you wish to do.”

“Whilst BAME role

models were scarce

15 years ago, I have

always been taught

to be the change

we wish to see.”

RECRUITMENT AND

OPPORTUNITIES AT AQA

We’ve done a lot of reflecting as

a company about the diversity

and make up of AQA and,

while we’ve always strived to

be an inclusive employer, we

understand and recognise we

can do more.

Recently we’ve been updating

our policies and practices to

ensure AQA appeals to a broad,

diverse mix of people, that reflect

both our customer base and the

local communities from which we

draw our talent, so we can grow

through the organisation.

In normal a year we recruit

around 1,000 temporary staff

across our sites in Manchester

and Guildford and offer a range

of temporary positions for

people to gain work experience

with AQA. These are a great

opportunity for people at

different stages of their careers

to either build upon their CV or

experience something new.

Due to the cancellation of exams

this year we had fewer temporary

roles to offer, but we’re still

recruiting for permanent

vacancies. We’ve been actively

recruiting throughout the

pandemic and have a range

of roles from entry level

administrative roles through to

more technical and management

positions.

We welcome applications from

all members of our communities

and every year attract a really

diverse group of people to our

temporary and permanent roles.

If you want to find out more or

are interested in joining AQA, you

can find further information, set

up job alerts, and keep up to date

with latest vacancies at:

https://www.aqa.org.uk/join-us

You can also find us on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/

company/aqa and on Twitter

@AQAJobs

61

STEM

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering

and Mathematics. These have always been important

subjects, but now more than ever before STEM

qualifications are in high demand as the UK seeks to

compete at the leading edge of digital research and

development and cyber security.

The UK has a long history of innovation

and being a leader in cutting edge

technology. Pursuing a STEM degree

offers increased opportunities for

women and diverse ethnicities. This

also gives any STEM graduate a rich,

diverse, and merit-based, environment

for working and learning, with the

opportunity to make an important

impact on society.

If you think STEM is only for

aspiring scientists, engineers and

mathematicians, then think again. There

are actually hundreds of specialisations,

suiting any student who likes asking

questions or being challenged. Expect

institutions to offer everything from

agriculture, astrophysics and ecology to

game development, pharmacology and

veterinary studies.

These subjects require a very logical

and methodical type of critical thinking.

There are right and wrong answers

and specific routes you need to take

to get to the correct result. These

subjects require practise, dedication,

creativity, curiosity, and a passion

for understanding how things work

– and the kind of discipline that the

Humanities are sometimes criticised for,

and the kind of transferable skills which

many employers prize.

STEM students learn by research and

inquiry. Inquiry requires students to

engage in active learning by generating

their own driving questions and seeking

out answers through research and

teamwork. In this way, they can apply

what they have learned to daily life.

62

63

Promoting diversity and

social mobility in STEM

64

In2scienceUK is an award-winning

charity that leverages the passion,

knowledge and experience of

science, technology, engineering

and maths (STEM) researchers and

professionals to unlock the potential

of young people from disadvantaged

backgrounds to progress to

STEM degrees, apprenticeships

and careers. The charity aims

to promote diversity and social

mobility in STEM, by supporting and

empowering young people from

underrepresented groups at the start

of their career journey to become

the next generation of researchers,

innovators and pioneers.

The programme provides young

people opportunities to gain an

insight into STEM careers and

research, through inspiring work

placements and mentoring, careers

and skills workshops, and guidance

for university or apprenticeship

access. Since 2010, In2scienceUK

has provided young people from

disadvantaged backgrounds, who

are in year 12 and studying at

least one STEM A Level or BTEC,

with a two week summer work

placement and careers, access and

employability workshops.

2020 has been a challenging year,

with in person work placements

cancelled due to Covid-19, but

with the support and dedication

of our partners and volunteers

we delivered an inspiring Virtual

Placement Programme, enabling

young people to meet researchers

and STEM professionals to support

their STEM aspirations. In the 2020

we supported 567 young people,

77% were from black, Asian or other

minority ethnic backgrounds.

We believe that promoting a STEM

education for all, that builds diversity

and attracts the brightest students

regardless of background and

wealth, is vital to drive innovation

and success within STEM. Young

people from disadvantaged

backgrounds face multiple barriers

to progressing to university and onto

STEM careers which leads to their

under-representation in the sector.

“The work done by

In2scienceUK is truly

excellent, ensuring

that the fascinating

and rewarding

world of STEM study

and careers is open

to all, irrespective

of background

or personal

circumstances.”

In2scienceUK volunteer, 2020

There is an annual shortfall of STEM

skilled workers in the UK, with the

number of technical jobs forecast

to increase (UK Commission for

Employment and Skills Report, 2017),

and STEM workers typically earn 20%

more than other fields (Greenwood

et al., 2011). However, under 10% of

life science professionals, 15% of

academics and 6% of doctors are

from working class backgrounds and

the percentage of black academics

(combining black Caribbean,

black African and black other)

stands at just 12.5%. In supporting

young people from disadvantaged

backgrounds In2scienceUK is

addressing two critical challenges;

the deficit of STEM skilled workers

in the UK, and the need to improve

diversity and social mobility within

the STEM sector.

In2scienceUK is an impact led

organisation, and we undertake

extensive evaluation of our young

people to ensure we are providing

the best quality, and valuable

support to young people who

are interested in STEM degrees,

apprenticeships and careers.

An independent study by UCAS

Strobe found that over 80% of

In2scienceUK students progressed

to university, and 58% progressed

to a top university, with progression

to top tariff universities ‘significantly

higher’ compared to control

students. Our evaluations show that

after the programme students are

more likely to; feel that people like

them work in STEM, feel that anyone

can become a scientist or engineer,

know a wide range of STEM careers

and pathways, and feel confident

they can write a high quality

personal statement.

Since 2010, In2scienceUK has

supported over 2000 young people

to progress to STEM education

and careers and we plan to build

on our success to support more

young people in the future. The 2021

programme is open for applications

from eligible young people in

year 12. For more information

visit in2scienceuk.org or email

students@in2scienceuk.org. If you

are interested in volunteering, or

partnering with In2scienceUK, please

contact info@in2scienceUK.org.

Diversity in STEM:

Under 10%

of life science

professionals...

15% of

academics...

and 6% of

doctors...

…are from working class backgrounds

(Social Mobility Commission, 2017)

65

In2scienceUK

participants

during their

placement.

CASE STUDY

Magda Ali,

In2scienceUK 2014 alumni

Magda Ali was a participant of the

In2scienceUK programme in 2014,

completing a two week placement

in the Neuropharmacology

department at UCL. She studied

biology, chemistry, physics and

maths A Levels at a school in

London, and had an interest in

studying a STEM degree at university.

“Thinking back to this time, the

idea of attending university was

something I knew I wanted to do,

because I had this idea that I would

stay in education forever, but at the

same time the idea felt abstract

and almost intangible. I think it was

hard for me to imagine myself at

university because I did not know

anyone whom I could relate to, and

also aspire to be like.”

Before her In2scienceUK placement,

she had the preconception that

scientists were like the stereotypical

genius, working alone in a lab,

66

and that research was just to fill

textbooks with knowledge. But her

In2scienceUK experience changed

her perceptions of science, sparking

a real interest in research.

“My In2ScienceUK experience

completely changed my perception

of science, I remember feeling

like I had uncovered a whole new

world where people were using

their passion for science to directly

investigate new ways to help

patients. After the placement I

saw what I was learning at school

as more than just facts, but as

discoveries that may have had real

life applications in human health.”

Magda secured a place to study

Biomedical Sciences at King’s

College London, and graduated with

a first class degree.

“Translational research was a

continuous theme throughout

the course, witnessing biomedical

research first hand during my

In2Science placement gave me an

experience to relate back to through

my studies, something which I think

was hugely beneficial.”

Following her degree, like many

students graduating, Magda

was figuring out what her next

step would be, and applied for a

scientist position at GlaxoSmithKline

researching T Cell therapies, a topic

she was working on in her final year

research project. She worked in

the Department of Cell and Gene

Therapy at GSK for two years,

researching genetically engineered

T cells for cancer immunotherapy.

To continue her STEM career she

successfully applied for a Cancer

Research UK studentship, and is now

starting her PhD at the University of

Cambridge.

“My experience in the

pharmaceutical industry has been

a steep learning curve, I have

been able to expand on a lot of

the concepts I learnt during my

undergraduate degree to help

develop potential therapies for

patients – something I have wanted

to do since my In2ScienceUK

placement. The In2ScienceUK

placement broadened my horizon

to what I believed a career in

science was. If you’re thinking

about applying, do so because the

experience will change your view of

what life has to offer”.

For details visit in2scienceuk.org

“The In2ScienceUK

experience really

solidified my choice

of studying a STEM

subject at university.

It has really given

me an insight into

how broad STEM

is and the amount

of opportunities

available within

this field.”

2020 In2scienceUK student

We have expanded

Increasing our reach across the UK

the number of of young people

we work with year on year:

Our Young People

1000

2017

2020

Our Young People

Our Young People

800

In2scienceUK In2scienceUK believes believes that that promoting promoting a STEM a STEM

education education for for all, all, that that builds builds diversity diversity and and

attracts 600

attracts In2scienceUK

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regardless regardless

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innovation innovation attracts education 400

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diversity STEM. regardless and

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to to innovation of overcome 200

overcome background the and the barriers and success barriers wealth, they within they is may vital STEM. may face to face drive

when when

Our innovation programme and success supports within these STEM. young people

to Our overcome programme the supports barriers they these may young face people

when

to overcome 2015/16 the barriers 2017/18 they may 2019/20

face when

2018

135

schools

2019

150

schools

2020

391

schools

...who were supported 66% by more employees and

83%

researchers are

from more institutions.

are in in receipt 66%

66% 83%

receipt of of

have have parents parents 83% who who

Free Free School School Meals Meals

have have not not attended attended

are in receipt of

higher have parents who

2018

2019

2020

higher education

Free are School in receipt Meals

of

have not parents attended who

are in receipt of

have parents who

Free School 25

Meals

Free School Meals 33

42

have have higher not not education attended

attended

institutions

institutions

institutions

higher education

higher education

accessing accessing STEM STEM degrees, degrees, apprenticeships

apprenticeships

and and careers. careers. Through Through independent independent evaluation, evaluation,

the

accessing the In2scienceUK In2scienceUK STEM degrees,

programme programme apprenticeships

has has been been shown shown

to and accessing to increase increase careers. STEM young young Through degrees, people’s people’s independent apprenticeships

knowledge knowledge evaluation, of of

different the and different In2scienceUK careers. STEM STEM Through career career programme pathways, independent pathways, has increase been increase evaluation,

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confidence to the confidence increase In2scienceUK and young and they they programme people’s feel feel that that knowledge people has people been like of like shown

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Male

FIND YOUR PLACE IN

HIGH PERFORMANCE

COMPUTING

Written by Weronika Filinger and Neelofer Banglawala

Have you ever heard of High Performance Computing (HPC)? Even though

HPC is at the forefront of many scientific disciplines, driving innovation in

many industries, it is likely you have not. HPC is a multidisciplinary field

employing cutting-edge computing technology to improve our lives. From

weather forecasting, designing new and more effective drugs, safer vehicles

and earthquake-proof buildings, to simulating natural disasters and finding

ways of preventing them and mitigating their effects. If you are thinking about

a career in STEM, sooner or later you will encounter computational science,

which, at large scale, will lead you to HPC.

68

High Performance Computing

The term computational science

encompasses all scientific disciplines

that make use of computer

simulations to solve complex

problems. Why use computers?

Because some problems are too big,

too small, too far away, too expensive

or too dangerous to study otherwise.

For example, some biological

processes happen too quickly and

at a scale that cannot be accurately

captured by experiments. Others, like

star formation, cannot be observed

due to the large scales in time and

space. If you could test engine

designs for planes, eliminating those

that are ineffective, would you insist

on building all such designs to test

in your lab? Computational science

not only allows us to study things

that would otherwise be impossible,

it also saves us money, time and

energy and helps keep us safer.

HPC is often referred to as

“supercomputing”, but what makes

the computing “super”? In short:

the sheer size of the systems.

The biggest supercomputers have

hundreds of thousands to millions

of CPU cores! A laptop typically

has 4 cores. But how to make

use of all those cores to solve

challenging scientific problems?

That’s what HPC is about –

exploiting the computing capabilities

of supercomputers to solve the

problems in parallel: from designing

new computer architectures using

novel technologies, to creating

new cutting-edge software such

as operating systems, schedulers,

compilers, scientific libraries and

parallelised scientific applications.

HPC is so important to advancing

the frontiers of science that many

countries have their own national

HPC service, like ARCHER2 in the UK.

Many roads lead to HPC

HPC is truly interdisciplinary and

diverse. It is fast-growing in many

ways – from the number of new

HPC users and developers, through

to the disciplines using HPC for

the first time, to the complexity of

software and hardware solutions.

We are also seeing the convergence

between Artificial Intelligence (AI),

machine learning (ML) and HPC.

There are therefore many ways to

get involved with HPC.

You do not need to have a computer

science degree or a specific

scientific background to pursue a

career in HPC, although this is the

typical of many people in HPC. You

also do not need to have a PhD

or Masters degree. HPC offers a

variety of different roles, hardwarefocussed

to software-focused, with

anything in between. For example,

you could be a hardware designer,

an HPC system administrator, a

developer of software tools or of

optimised numerical libraries and

novel algorithms or a research

software engineer. There are also

many different places where you

can work – HPC centres, scientific

labs, universities, hardware vendors

(e.g. Intel or NVIDIA), software

companies, industry, financial

institutions such as banks and so on.

HPC is used everywhere!

“Working in

HPC is not just

about doing

a technical

job, also being

part of the

community.”

Diversity and Community

Women and minorities remain

underrepresented in HPC, and

often more severely than in other

STEM disciplines. And yet, HPC

naturally has the potential to be truly

inclusive. Most of our work can be

done remotely, we collaborate with

people across the world, with many

people working in several different

countries over the span of their

careers. Diversity enriches HPC!

The HPC community knows that

things need to change. There are a

number of organisations like Women

in HPC (https://womeninhpc.org/)

and projects such as HPC diversity

(http://www.hpc-diversity.ac.uk)

increasing awareness about

the importance of diversity and

inclusivity in creating a healthy and

productive workplace.

Working in HPC is not just about

doing a technical job, also being part

of the community. Even as a student

you can be an active member,

contribute to events and learn along

the way. We know that HPC may

be difficult to encounter for some

students, so there are a number of

programs associated with different

organisations and conferences that

help students get started with HPC.

Here are two examples. One of them

is the Summer of HPC internship

program run by PRACE (https://

summerofhpc.prace-ri.eu/). Another

is the student program run during

the Supercomputing Computing

(https://sc21.supercomputing.org/

program/studentssc/), which is

the biggest HPC conference in the

world. The SC21 program promises

to have many interesting and useful

events – some of them focusing on

HPC, and other on skills necessary

to thrive in your chosen career,

whatever that may be.

There are many other events

happening both globally and locally,

in-person (not during the global

pandemic) and online – now that

you know about HPC you will be

able to search for them. Do not

worry that you do not know enough.

As long as you are willing to learn

you will be fine. HPC is such a fastpaced

discipline that quite often it is

not a question of what you know but

how fast you can learn the things

that you do not know. Also, no one

knows everything, we specialise

in different things and so our

colleagues are often the main source

of our information.

Curious to know more? Have a look

at some of the additional resources

included below and consider doing a

career in HPC.

Useful resources

The WHPC website – https://

womeninhpc.org/ – includes a wealth

of information, as well as mentorship,

fellowship and job opportunities.

The EPCC website – https://www.

epcc.ed.ac.uk/ – includes information

about the work we do, as well as

training, education and outreach

opportunities.

PRACE Summer of HPC – https://

summerofhpc.prace-ri.eu/. The

program offers summer placements

at HPC centres across Europe. The

applications usually open in January.

Student Program@SC’21 – https://

sc21.supercomputing.org/program/

studentssc/. The programme is part

of the biggest HPC conference in

the world, and offers a number of

activities for students.

69

Faces of HPC

What type of people work in HPC?

Here are the profiles of three

colleagues from HPC centre EPCC:

Weronika Filinger

Weronika moved to Edinburgh from

Poland when she started her degree

in Mathematical Physics, which she

completed with an MPhys in 2011.

She did not want to pursue a career

in Physics, so decided to do an MSc

in HPC. It took a year of working

random jobs to save enough money

to pay for half of her tuition fees,

and a loan to pay for the other half.

Now, she is an HPC Application

Consultant and has been working in

HPC for over 6 years. She works with

scientific software, but also teaches

online postgraduate courses, and is

involved in a number of international

HPC education related initiatives.

She is a core member of the Women

in HPC (WHPC) organisation and

the co-chair of one of the UK

chapters, and her work has taken

her to many places in Europe and

around the world – including South

Africa, Japan, and the USA.

Neelofer Banglawala

Neelofer comes from what you

might call a “disadvantaged”

background. With no fixed idea

about what she wanted to do

when she “grew up”, she decided

to follow her interests and studied

maths and physics at university.

As an undergraduate, she learnt to

write her first computer program.

She enjoyed maths and physics

so much she decided to do a PhD,

and that is when she came across

supercomputers and “parallel

programming. She now spends most

of her time as a Research Software

Architect in HPC and data science,

creating and improving research

software across different scientific

disciplines: from using machine

learning to analyse oil wells to the

complex modelling of bones using

supercomputers. In addition to her

technical work, Neelofer has taught

many courses on HPC concepts and

scientific python. Neelofer’s work

has taken her around the world

and she enjoys being part of a truly

global community. “Working in HPC

is exciting as it exposes you to new

technologies and the computational

challenges at the frontiers of

scientific research”.

Craig Morris

Originally from Jamaica, Craig

has been intrigued with electronic

gadgets from a young age,

taking them apart, fixing them

and modifying them. He began

studying Computing and Electronics

at the University of Edinburgh

but switched to Electrical and

Electronics as he was more

interested in that. After his Masters

in chip design, he saw a vacancy for

a computing officer at the University

and thought: “computing officer,

that must have some electronics

in it!” He got the job and has been

working in HPC ever since. He is now

a Senior HPC Systems Specialist

and spends his time working with

the latest technologies, whilst

addressing the challenges of

energy-efficient use of parallel

technologies. The projects he works

on can be complex and challenging,

for example using commercial

software and applications with

new and unfamiliar hardware

technologies, often requiring a steep

learning curve, but he enjoys the

challenge and knowing that he has

provided yet another HPC service to

help researchers advance science is

very rewarding.

HPC is a career path available to everyone. To see more “Faces of HPC” visit:

http://www.hpc-diversity.ac.uk/faces-of-hpc

70

Top

10

employability

2

skills

ORGANISATIONAL

SKILLS

• plan your work to meet

deadlines and targets

• organise your own time and

coordinate with others

• monitor and adjust the progress of

your work to stay on track

HOW I CAN DEVELOP THESE SKILLS:

• help organise an event or project

• plan your revision timetable

• calmly change plans if you run

out of time, or something

unexpected happens

4

1

ABILITY TO

LEARN AND ADAPT

• learn new things

• learn from successes and failures

• adapt and do things better


• think how to make your work even better

• put yourself forward when there are

chances to learn new skills

• share your ideas and use feedback

to improve your work

USING

INITIATIVE AND BEING

SELF-MOTIVATED

• follow instructions, making sure you do not

always have to be told what to do and when

• put forward your own ideas

• see something through to the end,

and not be put off by setbacks


• finish work without being asked

• work without help – but know

when to ask for it

• suggest new ideas

3

WORKING UNDER

PRESSURE AND

TO DEADLINES

• meet deadlines and targets

• handle the pressure that comes with

meeting deadlines and targets

• ensure that you are seen as a reliable person


• finish work before the deadline, using that

time to check and improve it

• plan and make the most of available time

• prioritise your commitments inside

and outside school or college

5

COMMUNICATION AND

INTERPERSONAL SKILLS

• explain and present what you mean clearly,

whether written or verbal

• do your best to understand others

NUMERACY

AND IT SKILLS

8

6 TEAMWORK

9

10

• use numbers and data to support

your work and obtain meaningful information

• apply your valuable IT skills


• use numerical evidence in a science practical,

STEM project or business idea

• help your family with budgeting or

other money decisions

• learn new IT skills such

as coding

VALUING

DIVERSITY AND

DIFFERENCE

• respect others

• value the skills and experience

that different people have

• show consideration for the

needs of different people


• work with people who have different skills

• make sure everyone is involved in

conversations and activities

PROBLEM

SOLVING SKILLS

• identify key issues in a problem

• use your knowledge and experience

when tackling problems

• develop and test possible solutions


• design objects and materials in

design and technology

• plan a STEM Club project

• analyse results in maths or science

• evaluate evidence in science

or humanities

KEY

• understand how you and

others work best together

• get things done when working

with people with different skills,

backgrounds and personalities

HOW YOU WORK

7

NEGOTIATION SKILLS

• think about what you and others want and need

• ‘give and take’ fairly when working with others


• look for ideas that benefit others as well

as yourself

• carry out a school/college enterprise or

STEM project that involves agreeing prices

• ask a favour of someone, supported

by offering something in return

HOW YOU WORK

WITH OTHERS

HOW YOU THINK

SHOW ALL


• do a presentation or speak with an audience

• take part in debates

• give instructions

to others


• plan ahead when working with others

• take account of how your team are

feeling when you work together

Engineering

Sector-wide skills shortages mean there are plenty of

opportunities for talented graduates. Estimates are that

there will be an annual demand for 124,000 engineers

and technicians with core engineering skills until 2024.

If you have a mechanical aptitude, love solving problems

and you want to earn an above average salary, you

should consider a career in engineering.

Engineering and manufacturing is one

of the UK’s broadest sectors. Almost

5.7 million people work in the sector in

the UK, accounting for just over 19% of

employment.

The application of engineering is all

around us, using knowledge of science

and mathematics to help improve our

lives. Engineers design, create, research

and find alternative and better solutions.

Nearly all industries require qualified

engineering graduates, including

biotechnology, pharmaceuticals,

aerospace, transportation, automotive,

construction, computing and software,

defence, electronics, green energies,

infrastructure, instrumentation and

control systems, communications,

nuclear, automation and robotics,

to name only a few.

The skills you learn through study and

experience are highly sought after

by employers, especially analytical

thinking, attention to detail, numeracy,

communication and technical savvy, all

of which are highly transferable skills.

Once you start working there are also

many opportunities for continuing

professional development.

To meet the projected demand, the

number of engineering engineering

apprentices and graduates will need

to double The industry is especially

seeking to attract more women and

students from BAME backgrounds.

University engineering and technology

graduates tend to earn around 20%

above the average over their career.

62% were in full-time employment six

months after graduating, compared to

57% of all graduates.

72

73

PROUD TO BUILD

THE WORKFORCE

THAT MATTERS

Emmanuel Onumah

Geotechnical Engineer

Ground Engineering Team

Infrastructure UK&E

Emmanuel.Onumah@atkinsglobal.com

https://careers.snclavalin.com/

atkins-early-careers

Emmanuel Onumah explains what it’s like working for world-leading design,

engineering and project-management consultancy Atkins.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I’ve been at working at Atkins for

3.5 years in the Ground Engineering

department within our Infrastructure

business. I joined as a Graduate from

Loughborough University, with a

degree in Civil Engineering. After

work I like to play a lot of sport,

including playing 5-a-side football on

a Sunday. As you can imagine during

COVID this hasn’t been so easy to

access, so I’ve been spending more

time riding my bike, learning to play

the guitar, and experimenting with

new recipes in the kitchen.

“Working for

Atkins, I find I’m

motivated every

day by talented

and experienced

people around

me”.

How did you elect for Atkins

as your employer of choice?

I was attracted to Atkins due to

their reputation as a leading Design

and Engineering and Project

Management Consultancy. After

speaking to an Atkins employee at

a careers fair during my final year at

University, I got an insight into the

large-scale projects I could work on,

the potential challenges and Atkins

culture. The ability to work on a

variety of projects and the potential

74

to progress my career was clear.

Now working for Atkins, I find I’m

motivated every day by talented and

experienced people around me.


young people, especially

from a BAME background,

that are interested in design,

engineering, and project

management?

Be inquisitive, find out as much as

you can about the industry – read

about it, ask about it, and speak

to people. My uncle was a Civil

Engineer and one of my biggest

inspirations for my career choice.

He taught me about his career and

potential paths into the industry and

played a key part in my education

choices leading to my career in

Engineering. Careers fairs, work

experience and internships also

provide a great opportunity to learn

about the types of projects available,

and they could help define the right

career path for you if you enjoy it.

Additionally, getting involved in

STEM events can help you to think

differently, creatively and provide

good examples of the kind of

challenges we face in engineering.

Having a diverse workforce provides

different perspectives on life which

can be input into the design and

delivery of projects.

What training does Atkins

provide for graduates?

Joining the Graduate development

programme (GDP) you get extensive

training and development to help

with your career progression, this is

typically geared towards achieving

a professional qualification. The

GDP gives you access to training,

events, and courses throughout the

programme, including mentors to

support you through qualifications.

The ground engineering academy

host multiple training and learning

events during the year to aid

development. Additionally, you can

seek the right training for you.

How have you been able to

have an impact and share your

opinions working at Atkins?

Atkins has a range of staff networks

to help share experiences, support

staff, and influence the business.

Recently I’ve been more involved in

the Embrace Network (Atkins BAME

network) working to understand the

challenges employees from minority

ethnicity groups face and influencing

the business to achieve its ED&I

aspirations. We have hosted multiple

events all over the world in 2020,

discussing Race and Discrimination

in the workplace.

I supported an event on “What

Progress looks like” taking a deep

dive in relation to ethnic minorities

in the workplace. The support,

engagement and allyship from the

leaders has been great and will be

instrumental in ensuring we all work

together towards achieving a diverse

and inclusive workplace. I believe

more collaborative engagement

across companies will help to elevate

the engineering industry.

What is it you especially enjoy

about your job?

My current role is a new challenge

to me, working as a Geotechnical

Auditor on the M6 Smart Motorway

Scheme. I’m responsible for

inspecting the construction of the

earthworks, retaining walls and

structure foundations. With Atkins

there’s always something new to

learn. I also enjoy my involvement

as part of our Embrace network,

making proactive changes towards

our ED&I aspirations.

I’m excited to see how the

challenges of 2020 will play a part

in improving our sustainability,

adapting to new ways of working,

and embracing new innovations and

technological advancements.

What would you say to anyone

considering a career with Atkins?

I would say go for it! Atkins is one of

the industry leaders in engineering,

with an outstanding reputation.

There are opportunities to work on

a wide range of projects, offering

different challenges. If you’re

creative, driven and like a challenge

Atkins is the place to be.

Atkins, a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group, is a leading global consultancy, with over 80 years’ design

and engineering expertise. Driven to discovering new ways to answer the world’s biggest challenges,

they help clients to bring their projects to life and make a real difference to people’s lives globally.

Atkins is searching for curious minds

who ask questions and dare to do

things differently. Graduates have

the opportunity to be a part of a

wide variety of projects that can

leave a lasting legacy, from helping

to provide drinkable water in third

world countries to solving the

energy problems of the future. As

a leading international consultancy,

Atkins offers graduates the chance

to work with major global clients

from BAE systems to High Speed

2. Graduates will find opportunities

across a variety of areas from

aerospace to energy, transport to

technology.

In the company of

With Atkins three-year Graduate

Development Programme,

graduates can be sure that they are

in great company. Supported by

line managers, senior leaders, the

Learning & Development team, and

the graduate community. They are

part of a diverse environment where

wellbeing and work-life balance is

highly valued.

Atkins offers a graduate experience

like no other, where graduates are

surrounded by a wealth of design

and engineering expertise.

For more information, please visit

our Early Careers site;

careers.snclavalin.com/

atkins-early-careers

Join the minds that see

things differently and

make an impact on a huge

variety of exciting global

projects. We’re a prestigious

company, with 80 years of

design and engineering expertise.

With the Atkins Graduate Development

Programme, you’re in great company.

To find out more search Atkins Grads

To follow us search Atkins Grads:

75

Water & Energy

The Water and Energy sectors cover areas such as

electricity, renewable energy oil and gas companies.

With renewable energy sources and digital technology

transforming the sector, many graduate careers have

a strong focus on the delivery of power and water to

customers. Other roles include engineering, finance, HR,

information technology, marketing and PR, management,

research, sales and trading.

When you think of the energy and

utilities sectors one of the big suppliers

might cross your mind i.e. Centrica

(British Gas), E.ON, EDF Energy,

Npower, ScottishPower, Anglian Water

and Thames Water. However, many

other recruiters also have a presence in

the UK, such as AECOM, BP, Chevron,

ExxonMobil, National Grid plc, Shell,

Total, Severn Trent Water, etc, and most

have apprenticeship schemes. These are

often found in engineering disciplines,

but also cover a range of other job roles.

There are many opportunities to

work in the sector, although a lot of

roles, require an accredited degree or

postgraduate qualification in a specific

engineering discipline (like chemical,

electrical or mechanical engineering).

For commercial roles in marketing, sales

and HR, any degree subject is accepted.

Business, accounting or numerical

degrees are often preferred when it

comes to finance and trading jobs.

There are a growing number of

companies that are diverting their focus

to environmentally friendly renewable

technology. Companies are looking to

hire young enthusiastic individuals.

It’s estimated that the UK’s renewables

industry alone could soon support up

to 400,000 jobs.

If you feel passionate about climate

change and you want to make a

difference to the environment then this

sector may provide the opportunity you

have been looking for.

76

77

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

IN THE WATER SECTOR

Water is at the forefront of

addressing climate change and

building a resilient economy and

is one of the most exciting sectors

to work in right now.

It is a fantastic time to join – water

is undergoing a technological

transformation but with an expected

skills shortage of 27,000 people

over the next decade, the sector

needs new talent to take it forward.

Both in the UK and internationally,

water is at the heart of the post-

COVID green recovery and is

embedded in all aspects of

development and economic growth.

From science, technology and

engineering to economics, resilience

planning and project management,

the potential career routes are

incredibly varied. Data analytics

Lila Thompson is the chief

executive of British Water, a trade

association for the UK water

supply chain that helps members

grow and develop their business

at home and internationally

and digital development are just two

areas where new talent and ideas are

needed, both at home and globally.

For me, it was international trade

that led me to the water industry

15 years ago, when I joined British

Water as international director,

coming from the Association of

British Healthcare Industries (ABHI),

where I was head of international

business.

I did not always know what career

I wanted to pursue and took a

job in the insurance sector after

leaving college. It was after moving

to the Overseas Trade Services

Department as the Country Manager

for Lebanon and Syria – now known

as the Department for International

Trade – that I realised international

trade was the perfect fit for me.

I took a diploma in international

trade, attending evening classes

whilst travelling extensively in a

full time role. Encouraged by my

lecturer, I then went on to gain a

degree in economics at Birkbeck

University of London, while still

at the Overseas Trade Services

Department. My subsequent civil

service roles included a secondment

to the British High Commission in

Pakistan and Country Manager for

the United Arab Emirates. These

visits were exciting and challenging.

I was only in my 20s, but I found

international trade incredibly

fascinating and it completely suited

my personality. After moving to

ABHI, I had further opportunities to

travel in the Middle East, as well as

in Latin America and Europe.

The confidence and people skills

I developed during this time were

hugely valuable and put me on

course for my current position as

chief executive of British Water,

a role I took in 2018 and that I

absolutely love. In business, I have

pushed myself to always reach for

the next thing but getting to this

point has not always been easy.

It can be tough when you’re the

only person of colour in the room.

At times I’ve felt undervalued

78

and underappreciated and I’ve

had to deal with racism, in the

UK and overseas. However, while

I’ve encountered some people

who wanted to discourage my

progression, I’ve always found

more people from all types of

backgrounds who have actively

supported me – often without me

being initially aware.

Throughout the highs and lows,

I have kept my focus on what I

wanted to achieve and retained

my courage and determination to

keep going. The desire to make

a difference has always been a

significant driver for me and is

why, as a water industry leader,

I have established campaigns and

partnerships to make the sector

more inclusive. For example, in

February 2021, British Water

became the latest organisation

to pledge its support to the

Change the Race Ratio campaign

(https://changetheraceratio.com).

Initiated by the Confederation of

British Industry (CBI), the campaign

aims to increase racial and ethnic

participation in UK businesses at

senior leadership and board level.

British Water recognises the lack

of ethnic diversity on UK boards is

reflected in our industry and I am

proud to join this campaign.

It is great to see other companies

in the water community, including

Pennon PLC, have done the same

and I hope this will encourage a

younger, more diverse workforce to

consider joining our industry.

“All my experiences,

good and bad,

have been pivotal

to my journey.

If I hadn’t taken one

step, I wouldn’t have

got to the next.”

For anyone who sees themselves

as a leader of tomorrow, I would

encourage you to be courageous

and take the steps to explore and

find the career options that best

suit you. Always seek guidance and

support when you need it. Some

practical advice I would offer is

to join a governing board – I am a

school governor and a trustee at a

hospice. This is a valuable way to

contribute to your local community

whilst gaining real experience in

business, finance, communication,

leadership and diplomacy.

Throughout my working life, all

my experiences, good and bad,

have been pivotal to my journey.

If I hadn’t taken one step, I wouldn’t

have got to the next. The challenges

have helped build and strengthen

my character, enabling me to strive

to be the best leader I can be today.

Keep going, stay focused and don’t

give up.

British Water’s support of

Change the Race Ratio is its latest

commitment to create a more

inclusive workforce. In 2018, the

association launched its Women on

Water campaign and in 2020, signed

up to the 30% Club mentoring

programme. It is currently preparing

to launch a 2021 diversity and

equality campaign.

www.britishwater.co.uk

CAREERS IN THE INDUSTRY:

CIWEM (Chartered Institute of Water

& Environmental Management)

https://ciwemjobs.com/

Institute of Water

https://jobs.instituteofwater.org.uk/

WATER INDUSTRY DEMOGRAPHICS

The UK water supply organisations

employ approximately

58,500

People

The workforce in some geographical

regions of the UK identifies itself as

95% or higher as white, compared to

London, for example, which identifies

as 63% white.

BAME

Overall, 20% of the workforce is

female, compared to 47% for all

sectors

Across the UK industry, 4% of the

workforce identify themselves as

from a Black, Asian or Ethnic

Minority background; compared to

15% for all sectors across the UK.

12% of staff in the water supply

industry identify themselves as having

a disability, compared to 15% of

workers across all sectors in the UK

All Sectors

20% 47%

4% 15%

12% 15%

The UK water workforce

is less diverse than the

wider UK workforce in

terms of gender,

ethnicity and

disability.

80% male, compared to

53% for all sectors

96% of the workforce is

white, compared to 85% in

the wider UK workforce

U24

8% of workers in the water supply

industry are under 24, compared to

12% for all sectors

8% 12%

12% of staff have a

disability compared to

15% for all sectors

63%

15% of water sector workers are over

15% 55, compared to 19% for all sectors 19%

8% of staff are under 24,

compared to 12% in the

wider workforce

97%

97% of Skilled Trades

Occupations are male,

compared to 90% for all

sectors

77%

77% of Managers, Directors

and Senior Officials are

male, compared to 65%

for all sectors

95%

Process, plant and

machine operatives are

95% male, compared to

88% for all sectors

Sources: ONS 2017 Business Register and Employment Survey; BEIS Labour Force Survey 2017/2018

79

Ever thought about a career

in the nuclear industry?

reasons why now might

be the right time…

8

Written by Callum Thomas, interviews by Monica Mwanje,

Co-founders, Inclusion and Diversity in Nuclear

I have been working in the nuclear industry for the last 11 years and, I have to admit,

before joining the industry it was never even on my radar as a potential career path.

I didn’t really know anything about nuclear and I assumed that only nuclear scientists

and engineers were welcome. How wrong I was!

I started my career after graduating with a Business and Finance degree working for

a large recruitment company in London, where I stayed for 10 years and learned my

trade. In 2009 I set up Thomas Thor Associates, a recruitment, executive search and HR

consulting organisation dedicated to the global nuclear industry. Now there are more than

80 of us in Thomas Thor, spread over three continents working with organisations in the

nuclear industry to help them build teams across a wide variety of disciplines including

management, engineering, commercial, safety, design, construction, project management,

project control and many more.

In 2019, together with Monica Mwanje, we co-founded the not-for-profit initiative ‘’Diversity

& Inclusion in UK Nuclear’’ to support the industry. I have been fortunate enough to work

with hundreds of organisations and thousands of people from all over the world and I have

gained amazing insights into the career opportunities available in the nuclear industry. This

may be the first time you have ever thought about this, so here are eight reasons why you

may like to look a bit closer at a career in the nuclear industry:

1

NUCLEAR

ENERGY IS A MAJOR PART

OF ACHIEVING NET-ZERO2050

We are in the middle of a worldwide collaboration

to achieve the shared ambition of net-zero carbon

emissions on our planet by the year 2050. This will

mean building as much wind and solar energy

infrastructure as possible as well as using every other

method we have to generate clean electricity. Nuclear

energy has an important role to play as it is a very low

carbon source of electricity.

Every year more and more people and governments

that care about the environment are realising that wind

+ nuclear + solar is the way to a clean energy future.

There are lots of other pieces to this puzzle including

hydro power, carbon capture and storage, batteries

and many other emerging technologies that could be

part of the solution, but nothing meets the criteria of

being a proven clean technology that can be scaled up

quickly quite like nuclear. A strong part of my purpose

in life is to contribute towards net-zero 2050 and I feel

that I am making a difference as part of the nuclear

industry creating clean energy.

80

2

IT IS A GROWING INDUSTRY WITH LOTS

OF EXCITING CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

There are currently around 65,000 people working

directly in the nuclear industry in the UK (Source:

Nuclear Industry Association Jobs Map), and that

number is predicted to increase over the coming years.

There is a new nuclear power plant being built by EDF

in Somerset right now that will generate 7% of the UK’s

electricity, with at least another one or two large nuclear

power plants in the planning stages. In addition, the

government is putting a lot of funding into development

of new advanced nuclear energy technologies by

companies such as Rolls-Royce. Then there are the

decommissioning and environmental remediation

projects happening at old nuclear sites that are no

longer operating, which employ thousands of people.

The UK’s fleet of submarines is being renewed and this

will create thousands of jobs in the coming decade.

Finally, if you really want to blow your mind with

science, do a google search for the Culham Centre

for Fusion Energy. The UK is a world leader in Nuclear

Fusion, which is recreating what happens inside the

sun to create energy here on earth! As well as the

organisations whose names you may already know,

there are hundreds of small companies doing all kinds

of creative and entrepreneurial work. My company

Thomas Thor is just one example of a small business

built on an entrepreneurial vision in the nuclear industry.

3

LONG

TERM JOB SECURITY AND GOOD

EARNING POTENTIAL

Building new nuclear power stations takes about 10

years, then they operate for about 60 years before

being decommissioned which takes another 50 years.

Research projects can have 20-30 year schedules and

some of the environmental remediation projects have

plans that stretch over 100 years! This means that the

nuclear industry does not suffer anywhere near as

much from economic cycles compared to industries

like technology and finance. An added bonus is that

because the safety and quality standards are so high in

nuclear, the skills and experience you develop are easily

transferable to other sectors.

The need for highly skilled people means that the

average annual earnings in the industry are around £60k

per year. Of course, the starting pay is much lower than

this, but many career paths within the nuclear industry

allow for progression to this salary level or higher.

4EMPHASIS ON BUILDING A SUPPORTIVE

AND COLLABORATIVE CULTURE

It was a very welcome surprise to me when joining the

nuclear industry to experience the culture of support.

At the core of the nuclear industry is the ‘’safety culture’’,

which means that everyone in the industry shares the

same focus of maintaining a safe working environment.

This has led to a unique culture of working together

and supporting one another, both within organisations

and across the whole industry. There are lots of industry

events and associations as well as formal and informal

mentoring and coaching programmes.

5

COMMITMENTS

TO INCLUSION AND

DIVERSITY ARE SERIOUS

Historically, the nuclear industry has not been very

diverse, but that is changing now. The industry is hiring

thousands of people every year and a core objective

is to ensure that those joining the industry reflect all

communities. Organisations are investing in training

and development to build more inclusive cultures

and creating inclusive recruitment processes. The

government has set targets on gender diversity in the

sector (40% by 2030). Our focus within Diversity &

Inclusion in UK Nuclear is expanding on this commitment

to consider all other forms of diversity in addition to

gender, as well as working on inclusivity that is needed

to maintain a stable, happy, safe and healthy workforce.

6IT OPENS THE DOOR TO INTERNATIONAL

OPPORTUNITIES

The nuclear industry is truly global. Many UK firms have

significant operations and projects in other countries.

Therefore, if you have an interest in combining your

career with exploring the world by living and working in

other countries then this is another benefit to consider.

Because the industry is so international it is common

to work in joint projects with people and organisations

from other countries. I have personally found this cultural

diversity to be an amazing source of learning, about

news ways of working as well as different cultures.

7

WORK

IN DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION

OF CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGIES

There is much cutting edge technology being developed

in the industry, in areas such as robotics and virtual

reality. Many people, if they even think about nuclear,

imagine that it is an old fashioned industry. The reality

is that there are many projects that are pushing the

boundaries of science and developing new applications.

8

THE

YOUNG GENERATION NETWORK HAS

1500 MEMBERS AND IS VERY ACTIVE

This is an incredibly active group with the mission

‘’To encourage, develop and inspire the UK’s early career

nuclear professionals, and ensure that their voice is

heard in shaping the future of our sector’’. The YGN

provides encouragement, development and engagement

opportunities to the young generation within the sector

and, as part of the Nuclear Institute, they have an

important voice in the industry. One of the interesting

initiatives they are currently leading is the preparation

for the COP26 Global Climate Conference that will be

hosted in Glasgow in 2021. Find out more about this at

https://www.nuclearinst.com/News-Insights/

ygn-futuresight-countdown-to-cop26

“Apprenticeship schemes were

described to me as a way to

‘learn and earn’ at the same

time, developing yourself

both from a professional and

personal perspective. George Garner

81

CURIOUS ABOUT HOW TO

JOIN THE NUCLEAR SECTOR?

GetIntoNuclear that provides free

information and advice about

working in the nuclear industry

(www.getintonuclear.com).

Alternatively, feel free to contact me

through LinkedIn and my colleagues

and I would be happy to provide

any further information. Diversity

and Inclusion in UK Nuclear has a

website (https://idnuclear.com),

a LinkedIn company page that you

can follow or you can contact us at

info@idnuclear.com.

CURIOUS ABOUT CURRENT

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN

THE INDUSTRY?

The Nuclear Industry Association’s

2020 Jobs Map (https://www.niauk.

org/resources/jobs-map-2020/).

It shows a map of the UK and which

employers are based in your local

area that you may like to learn more

about or contact.

You can visit the websites of the

organisations you find to see their

current vacancies and recruitment

process.

CURIOUS ABOUT HOW THE

UK IS INVESTING IN NUCLEAR?

The government just released an

Energy White Paper: Powering our

net zero future https://www.gov.uk/

government/publications/energywhite-paper-powering-our-net-zerofuture.

If you’re interested in more

information visit the Nuclear Industry

Association or Nuclear Institute

websites, or for a more global

picture you could look at the World

Nuclear Association website. They

also run a very good global news site

called World Nuclear News.

jobs include: construction manager project management apprentice human resources

material science risk practitioner engineering maintenance apprentice geosciences

quality assurance business development manager electro technical apprentice

cyber security behavioural insight civil engineer industrial safety mechanical engineer

process engineer commercial human factors consultants marketing coordinator…

FRANCESCA BRANDFORD-ADAMS

CURRENT ROLE

Senior Consultant (Nuclear Risk):

nuclear and non-nuclear risk strategy consulting

QUALIFICATIONS

MChem (Hons) Masters in Chemistry with Professional

Experience (University of Warwick)

HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED IN NUCLEAR?

I have worked within nuclear for 5 years & I am currently

in my second role

WHAT DID YOU KNOW ABOUT NUCLEAR /

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO JOIN THE SECTOR?

As part of my Master’s degree, we touched on what

was then the plans to build a new power station in

Somerset (Hinkley Point C). After graduating I seized

the opportunity to apply my skillset in the industry.

IS THERE A PIECE OF ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO

SOMEONE CONSIDERING JOINING THE INDUSTRY?

Research. The industry is constantly growing and

changing and so there’s always a lot to read up on!

GEORGE GARNER

CURRENT ROLE

Project Management Apprentice,

Cavendish Nuclear / Youth Voice Network Chair

I focus mostly on continual business improvement,

managing small projects and business winning

objectives. I also focus on delivering STEM initiatives in

the local community, providing valuable insights to our

sectors next generation of apprentices and graduates.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Level 4 Project Management Apprenticeship Standard

(Currently working towards)

• APM Project Fundamentals Qualification

• Level 3 General engineering (B-tech double diploma)

• Core Mathematics

• Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)

• 8 GCSEs (Grade A-C)

HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED IN NUCLEAR?

I joined the nuclear industry in 2018 as a Project Controls

Apprentice. 2.5 years later I am now in my second role

as a Project Management Apprentice.

WHAT DID YOU KNOW ABOUT NUCLEAR /

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO JOIN THE SECTOR?

When I started my knowledge on the subject was

minimal – I knew the basics from GCSEs, but not

much else. Working in nuclear runs in my family, but I

wasn’t sure that I wanted to work in the sector myself.

Following a work placement at Sellafield Ltd (aged

15) I knew that the industry was where I wanted to be.

The insight into innovation and experience you gain is

second to none.

IS THERE A PIECE OF ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO

SOMEONE CONSIDERING JOINING THE INDUSTRY?

Working in the nuclear industry provides invaluable

transferable skills, it pushes you out of your comfort

zone while still providing you the support you need to

develop. My advice would be to grasp the opportunities

that are open to you and take the opportunity to work

on exciting projects and broaden your horizons.

82

Inclusion and Diversity in Nuclear aims to provide

useful, practical and balanced information and

support around D&I. Find out more about nuclear at

https://idnuclear.com or email info@idnuclear.com

83

Health & Social Care

If you want to help other people and contribute to their

health and well-being, then working in the health and

social care sectors could be your right career choice.

Top of the list of those regarded as “essential workers”

during the Pandemic, workers can expect public plaudits,

but also often good renumeration and job security.

Whether you’re a nurse looking after

patients on the wards, a surgeon

carrying out life-saving operations,

admin staff who ensure all of the

paperwork is complete, or cleaners

who are keeping care homes spick and

span, you could be part of an amazing

team that makes a huge difference to

peoples’ lives every single day.

The industry offers a wide variety of

career routes for candidates from

different backgrounds and with different

qualifications. A career in healthcare

may also lead to a mix of further study

with excellent on-the-job training

and support for employees, allowing

candidates to work towards obtaining

specialist professional qualifications and

unique skills to extend their careers.

The COVID-19 Pandemic has brought

the whole sector to public attention,

leading to a reassessment of the

importance of previously sometimes

overlooked roles, frequently leading to

extra funding being allocated. It is also

now increasingly recognised that it is

vital to create closer ties and synergies

between health and social care. The

NHS alone employs 1.4 million staff,

while the care sector currently employs

1.6 million people. Social care provides

a range of services where the health

sector leaves off, offering physical and

emotional support to vulnerable and

older people. Helping people in their

own homes or in residential care homes.

With an ageing UK population, the

sector needs an extra 50,000 staff to

fill vacancies over the next ten years.

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85

CARING FOR

THE FUTURE

A career in Social Care – essential support and

a challenge of leadership in a time of crisis

Nadra Ahmed OBE,

Chairman,

National Care Association

When we look at leadership in

management modules, we assert the

importance of managers, directors,

CEOs and owners, but in social

care we must draw the distinctions

between tiers of responsibility and

demarcations of authority. Clearly,

we must have a system which

recognises where decisions have to

be made, where those decisions rest,

and how the foundations of success

lock together to build the pathways

of successful delivery within

individual care services.

The Social Care sector has faced

many challenges for decades.

The definition of what we mean by

social care in 2020 bears little or no

resemblance to what was described

in the National Assistance Act over

70 years ago. The service was set

up to support people who no longer

wanted to live alone and who had

needs which did not require acute

interventions or clinical support.

The purpose was one of aged

retirement services where there

was no consistent friends or family

support available, and where day

centres, home help and meals on

wheels were not enough to ensure

that the individual felt safe in their

own home. Additionally, if the impact

of loneliness was such that the

mental and physical well-being of an

individual was being compromised,

86

then the need for peer support was

assessed as being critical through

care settings.

The transformation of social care as

a service delivery model has been

reshaped because of the increased

needs of the population we serve.

We have moved from a retirement

home model to clinical support

models within a period of some four

decades, and our workforce has

risen to the challenge without any

formal recognised qualification or

acknowledgement. We have had to

redefine our roles ourselves based

on the profiles of the people we

care for, and upskill our workforce

accordingly, which has demonstrated

the leadership within the sector and

the strength of the commitment of

all who work in it.

REASONS TO CARE

Perceptions of social care as

a career are challenging as we

do not have a pathway through

nationally recognised qualifications,

and yet our workforce has had to

demonstrate the same skill set as

the Health Care Assistants (HSC) in

the NHS. The career divide is also

one which extends to terms and

conditions and of course the pay

scales, which in turn create a lack

of parity in status and value.

It has to be recognised that Social

Care is much more than older

people’s care, yet that is what is

focused on most. Not only do we

employ more people than the NHS

but Social Care also have more

beds in our services. Furthermore,

there are multiple roles which

often receive little or no attention

or recognition but are crucial to

the success of every service. It is

therefore important that when

looking at career options in social

care we need to keep an open mind,

play to our greatest strengths and

widen our vision.

The golden thread that is an

essential element in social care is

compassion, a foundation without

which we cannot create the models

of care we need. Whether the role is

in catering, housekeeping, gardening,

therapy, administration, or an

activities coordinator, care assistant,

manager or proprietor, without

this golden key of compassion

you will not be able to fulfil the

role. We care for some of the most

vulnerable members of our society

with very challenging and complex

conditions. The only similarity in

their circumstances will be that they

all need care and support.

Every person in receipt of social

care has a unique set of needs;

the people who chose to support

them must in turn also be unique

themselves. Compassion goes

across all cultures and ethnicities so

it cannot be claimed to be rooted

in any one set of people. That said,

people from BAME backgrounds

often have strong cultural traditions

around the importance of the care

of elders, often brought about by

inter-generational family structures.

However, as times have moved

so have cultural expectations,

and pressures on family life often

requires that both partners work.

We therefore cannot assume

anything, and it is imperative that

we focus on personal qualities of

individuals considering a career in

social care above all else.

A MATTER OF CHOICE

It is often noted that social care is

not seen as an occupation of choice

by Asian communities and those

who do will consider social work

or nursing rather than social care.

This could be due to the fact there

is no national qualification which

leads to a professional pathway,

which parent and peer pressure can

direct individuals towards. We also

know that many Afro-Caribbeans

are drawn towards social care roles

within their localities and have deep

rooted respect for caring for elders

in their society. The fact remains,

that as a sector, we have over

112,000 vacancies at any given time;

an indication that social care is not

a career of choice for all.

So, how do we address this in a

way which will ensure we meet

the growing need for social care

projected by Skills for Care in their

State of the Sector report? They

predict the need for an additional

500,000+ care workers over the

next decade or so. We must look

at the roles within the sector and

how they are perceived, and assess

against the reality of what they are.

We know that the status of social

care is hampered by the fact that

there is no clear career pathway and

yet it can be a unique apprenticeship

to so many roles in health and other

industries and sectors.

We should work towards a stable

professional workforce rather than

a transient one. The only way to

do that is to create a professional

pathway which recognises the status

and value of the sector. Once we

make this shift we will start to see

leadership roles being recognised

and role models emerging. Without

this, how do we encourage those

who may be seeking employment to

see it as a career of choice?

We also need to be able to

acknowledge leaders in social

care as role models to increase

understanding of the sector’s

contribution in keeping people safe

when all else has failed them. The

Social Care sector is the parachute

which opens wide when you need

it. It breaks the fall which could

cripple you, and then provides

the services to support you within

safe environments where a skilled,

competent and confident workforce

will be there for you. To deliver

the care required we need strong

committed leaders inspiring a

generation of Carers to continue to

evolve with the role.

LEADING THE WAY

Without recognised leadership our

sector will continue to struggle

for the recognition and value it

deserves. The value of our roles

will only come when we ourselves

believe that the work we do is crucial

and we no longer subscribe to ‘just’

being a carer!

What do we mean by the term

‘leadership’? Is it a practical skill or

is it a role? There are libraries full of

definitions and strategic analysis on

the topic of leadership ranging from

a directive role to one of working

within teams. A good leader will

motivate their team towards a vision

which they recognise, embrace

and develop, which gives them full

ownership of the tasks in hand.

An exceptional leader directs not

dictates on the basis that every

individual in the team can reach their

full potential within the organisation

and the wider sector.

If you google the word leadership

you will get 479 million results,

with each definition being unique

in some way. Here are a few of my

favourite ones:

‘A leader is best when people barely

know he exists...’ – Lao Tzu

‘You don’t need a title to be a leader’

– Mark Sanborn

‘Leadership is the capacity to

translate vision into reality’ –

Warren Bennis

I find the notion of an ‘invisible’

leader interesting… it implies that the

person is an integral part of the team

and so they are leading from within.

When we look at social care can

we identify the leaders who inspire

us to follow, develop and evolve, or

are we perceived as a task driven

workforce? When was the last time

we heard someone talk about the

value of the social care workforce

before the pandemic thrust a light

on care homes? Pre-pandemic we

had 120,000 vacancies in the sector

and we were fighting for the rights

to employ a migrant workforce to

fill the gaps post Brexit; but the lack

of understanding at government

level has set a pay rate which care

providers cannot offer based on the

fees received within the sector. With

the current level of unemployment

we are being encouraged to recruit

from the domestic workforce, which

is always the preferred option, but

not everyone can deliver exceptional

care to some of the most vulnerable

members of our community. So,

quite frankly, to assume that anyone

can slip into the role is insulting to

the dedicated 1.5 million people

working in the sector at the moment.

In a multicultural nation like ours,

we are caring for vulnerable people

of all ethnicities, so we need to

encourage a workforce that will also

reflect that. We must not only create

pathways to a career that will be

equal to those in the NHS but also

recognise the skills of our workforce

through pay and conditions. A career

in social care should enable every

individual to reach their full potential

through a structured qualification

agenda but also open new horizons

which will enhance the experience.

We can do this by inspiring great

leadership role models in every

facet of the service, who in turn will

create exceptional teams within

their services, who will become role

models in their own rights.

Supporting the independent care sector

Supporting care homes

Supporting home care providers

Representing at a national level

https://nationalcareassociation.org.uk

87

Legal

The legal sector has long been portrayed as a

prestigious place to be. A career in law can be

intellectually challenging, personally fulfilling and

financially rewarding, with many career options that

serve a variety of core and non-core functions.

With a multitude of positions and

an ever-expanding range of practice

areas, law offers you the opportunity to

specialise in what you find personally

interesting. Family, environmental and

criminal law are just a handful of the

routes you can go down.

A career within law may appeal to you

because of its reputation of being a

relatively well-paid and lucrative sector.

However, how much you earn depends

on several factors, including the type

of law you practise, public or private,

where you are in your career, and the

size of the law firm you work for.

While most lawyers have studied

humanities at ‘A’ level, people come

into law from a range of backgrounds

including science and creative subjects.

Reading and research is required to take

in information quickly and efficiently,

but you must also be able to listen,

understand and apply reasoning.

There are several different ways into

the profession – from the conventional

route of higher education to studying

for qualifications in your own time,

or getting your foot in the door as a

paralegal or legal secretary.

At the heart of the legal professional’s

role is client service. There are a variety

of roles but the main professional

roles are as Solicitors and Barristers.

Increased segmentation and

specialisation in the legal profession

has spawned a growing number of legal

specialties and sub-specialties that

cater to almost every legal interest.

Within law firms cultures vary widely

and it’s important to think about what

type of culture might best suit you.

Some firms are more traditional and

hierarchical, whereas others strive to be

less traditional and have in place relaxed

policies on things such as dress code

and working from home.

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89

FUTURE FACING LAWYERS

CMS IS A FUTURE FACING, GLOBAL LAW FIRM that puts the interests of clients at the heart of

everything they do across their 70+ offices in 40+ countries in the UK, Europe, the Middle East,

Asia, South America and Africa. With more than 1000 partners and 4500 lawyers, CMS work in

cross-border teams to deliver top quality, practical advice no matter how complex the situation.

Diversity and inclusion (D&I) is a vital part of CMS’ success; diversity of thought and the ability to

understand different perspectives is crucial in our strategy to adapt, innovate and move forward.

What does this mean in practice? We spoke to four representatives from across the firm, who

shared insights into their CMS story so far.

Brightmore Kunaka

Future Trainee, Sheffield office

What made you choose the firm?

I was extremely inspired by CMS’s

international reach and innovative

culture. CMS’ huge reputation, client

list and worldwide resources showed

its ambitious nature, sparking my

interest in the firm. This is because I

wanted to be a part of a firm where I

would have an array of opportunities

and avenues to grow. I was attracted

by the firm’s innovative nature and

the extent to which CMS embraced

new legal technologies.

How did you secure your training

contract and can you provide any

tips to aspiring solicitors?

Firstly, I was well organised. I

planned which firms to conduct

research on based on those that

interested me. I practiced a range

of psychometric tests and set

personal deadlines for submitting

applications. This gave me

confidence throughout the whole

process. I was ready for any critical

thinking, numerical reasoning, or

other psychometric tests that came

my way, meaning I had a greater

90

capacity to excel in them. Due to

the in-depth research I completed

in the early stages, when attending

assessment centres I was able to

prepare confidently, which allowed

me to be less nervous and to

perform well.

Secondly, I made sure to be myself.

There is a myth that you have to

pretend to be the ‘perfect’ person to

secure a training contract. However, I

found being myself helped me to be

genuine and allowed me to find the

right firm for me.

Ashley Lu

Second seat trainee, London office

Tell us a little bit about the tasks

you have undertaken during your

training contract so far.

During my time in the corporate

transactions team, I worked on a

few private M&A transactions and

corporate reorganisations. Some

of the typical tasks I’ve completed

include drafting and amending

board minutes and other ancillary

documents, due diligence, document

management and organisation. I was

also involved in a pro bono project

where my team advised on the most

suitable legal form in relation to

the incorporation of charity. In the

second half my seat, I was seconded

to Lupl, an exciting project which

the firm is supporting around the

development of a platform for legal

matters management. It was a

unique opportunity where I got to

experience how legal technology

can shape and change the way

lawyers work.

My second and current seat is in

insurance. My tasks include legal

research, drafting coverage reports,

creating chronology of facts,

preparing attendance notes, bundling

and other case administration work.

No one day is the same at CMS!

What non-client work have you had

the opportunity to be involved in?

I was involved in a trainee D&I

project to design a series of webinars

for BAME students, interested in

applying to CMS. The topics covered

in the webinars included trainee

skills, application tips, insights

into life at CMS and virtual speed

networking. Along with four

other trainees from the BAME

trainee committee, I helped source

volunteers and even had a speaker

slot during one of the sessions.

I shared details of the skills I am

developing as a trainee solicitor

and answered questions raised by

participants. It was the first event of

its kind wholly organised by trainees;

we were delighted that so many

students wanted to find out more

about CMS. For further details about

future online events, please follow

us on social media or join our online

talent network.

Shirin Shah

Associate, London office

What was the transition like from

trainee to associate and what

support did you receive?

Qualifying during a global pandemic

has definitely been interesting and

not without its challenges! However,

as an Associate, I now have more

responsibility and interesting

work. I’ve seen an increase in client

contact and being asked to provide

business advice. CMS provides

all newly qualified lawyers (NQs)

with training from finance through

to client management, and within

my practice group (Corporate)

we have had an extensive training

programme. I have regular informal

catch-ups with my partner reviewer,

an associate buddy in my team

and the other NQs which has

helped me to embed myself into

the team and transition from

trainee level.

What has been your most valuable

lesson to date?

Your relationships with your

colleagues and clients is as

important, if not more than, the

quality of your work. Your ability

to be reliable, commercially aware

and able to develop long term

relationships is integral to get the

opportunities to progress in your

career. Of course, make sure your

work is completed to the best

of your ability, but bringing your

personality to the fore and being

authentic, goes a long way.

“The younger me

was too willing to

conform to an image

of what I thought

a solicitor should

look/sound/act

like, whereas you

do better by being

comfortable with

yourself.”

George Lubega

Partner, Sheffield office

Can you tell us about some of your

career highlights?

Without a doubt, working overseas

was a real highlight for me – I have

spent time (and qualified in) New

York and Sydney, New South Wales

and seeing different legal systems

and enjoying the cultures of those

countries was amazing. I would

recommend any private practice

lawyer spend some time out of

their usual environment – whether

that be overseas or on an in house

secondment. Of course, as a litigator,

there is the inevitable thrill of living

a case, often for several years, and

then winning at the end. But some

of the best and most humbling

moments have come through

commercial settlements. I will never

forget a Financial Director turning to

me after I’d exchanged a settlement

agreement and saying “thank you…

you just saved 800 jobs”. Those

moments are rare but make the

job worthwhile. Finally, of course,

the moment of making partnership

is always going to be special, as

a recognition of ability and effort

and as the start of a new phase of

responsibility and leadership.

If you could provide one piece of

advice to your younger self, what

would it be?

I’m going to give two, both of which

I still remind myself of today, 30

years in. First, keep an open mind/

be adaptable: during a legal career

you’ll be faced with lots of critical

decisions. I started out wanting to

be a corporate lawyer but ended

up a litigator because it turned

out that I had more flair for it and

enjoyed it more. Dilemmas arise

like – if I go and work overseas will

I be left behind by my peers and

will I have a job when I come back.

If I leave London will I get work of

the same quality? If I made any

mistake in answering those sort

of questions it was thinking too

rigidly and conventionally about

what my career would look like. If

anything that meant that I made

those decisions later than I should

have done. Everyone’s experience

of a legal career will be different but

we all benefit from being able to see

ourselves doing different things and

being prepared to take risks.

Secondly, it is important to be

yourself. I think the younger me was

too willing to conform to an image

of what I thought a solicitor should

look/sound/act like, whereas you

do better by being comfortable

with yourself.

Join CMS and you’ll be part of

one of the Top 10 Global law

firms providing you with access

to expertise, experience and

opportunities to help shape your

future career. The CMS Academy

is the main route to a Training

Contract at CMS.

For details of their Early Talent

programmes, please visit:

www.cmsearlytalent.com

91

For an extraordinary career,

join a global law firm where you can thrive

AMIRAH AL-UNUFI | SOLICITOR APPRENTICE

It’s important to feel valued and included where you work.

For myself, coming from a mixed ethnic

background and being a Muslim woman, it’s

important for me that I don’t feel in any way

hindered by this and that I’m able to work

freely and can progress. By having an inclusive

culture, you’re able to bring out the very best in

people. This will produce an enjoyable working

environment, where people with different

experiences can provide important outlooks

that can be influential in terms of work.

I had heard testimonies of how valued the

apprentices felt and could see the dedication

that the firm had towards the scheme. Ashurst

has numerous support networks in place, as

apprentices we have a supervisor who helps

ease you in to the work, guides you in terms of

managing workloads, and regularly checks in

to see how you’re doing with work, study and

life more generally. We also have an apprentice

buddy and a trainee buddy, both of whom are

there to provide advice and support whilst we’re

starting out, and regularly check in to see how

we’re doing.

CHELSEA KWAKYE | 2ND SEAT TRAINEE

Working in a city law firm often means working

in a team. In order to perform your best in

a team, you have to feel welcome and that

your identity and your ideas will be treated

with respect. When this isn’t the case, your

confidence is stifled and you miss out on a

number of opportunities – both of which have

happened to me. You only have to think about

the number of ideas and valuable contributions

missed because a certain environment was not

accommodating.

I was a campus ambassador for Ashurst and

then completed a vacation scheme before I

started my training contract. It was important

that I knew the firm, its people and values

before accepting my TC – all of which have

been positive. Ashurst have particularly been

supportive in terms of their D&I initiatives by

encouraging healthy and open discussion. By

virtue of being a trainee, you are supported in

a number of ways from Early Careers to having

a supervisor.

92

ISRAA KHAN | SOLICITOR APPRENTICE

Ultimately, diversity cannot exist without inclusion, so if there is a very poor

culture concerning inclusivity, you marginalise certain groups of people. Creating

a culture that embraces our differences strengthens a work environment in itself

from all angles.

I am very lucky to work as an apprentice in a firm

that does its best to do so. There are different

networks and groups welcomed at the firm for

example where you can build relationships with

people similar to you- and the firm supports

and endorses these as a way of empowering

diverse voices.

What I love about the firm is that diversity and inclusion

is far from just a check box, but more of a vehicle to

drive forward a firm reflective of its employees.

For example, recently it was Eid, and as part of

Ashurst Muslim Network we created virtual

resources for people to learn more about the

month of Ramadan and Eid for those who may not

be aware of the experiences of their colleagues.

The solicitor apprentice programme was also a

standout for me in terms of the opportunities

offered to apprentices throughout the scheme-

such as secondments to in house legal teams.

Everyone is very supportive, and I appreciate

it especially when people contact me for any

opportunities, they think I could benefit from,

or anything they believe I could contribute to.

Being so young and new to the legal field as

a new solicitor apprentice with so much to

learn, it is so crucial to have people like that

around you that will take the time to ensure

your personal development. Essentially, once

you join the firm, you join a wider community.

You are working alongside the best and most

experienced in the field, but Ashurst still places

great emphasis on the development of juniors,

which has ultimately manifested itself through

the amount I have grown and learnt in the

past 6 months! The fact that I have not felt the

impact of Covid-19 on my education and work

life is just purely down to the firm’s continuous

commitment to supporting us- whether that be

through consistent feedback, catch up sessions,

specific training, mentoring... the list is endless.

SAIF KHAN | 3RD SEAT TRAINEE

An inclusive culture is important

to me. Without it, diversity in the

workplace is redundant.

It goes beyond the token presence of diversity,

and instead formalises – through policies

and practices – respect, equity and positive

recognition across all backgrounds. In doing

so, it fosters an environment in which the

underrepresented feel represented, respected

and valued. Naturally, such an environment

brings the best out of a diverse workforce

by making all employees feel comfortable in

bringing their different perspectives to the table,

fostering innovation and resulting in a more

fulfilling and rewarding working experience.

My first interaction with Ashurst was through a

Rare Recruitment programme in 2017, signalling

to me early on its commitment to diversity

and inclusion. Whilst undoubtedly attracted

by the quality of the work it undertakes, it was

important I resonated with the firm’s values

and culture and my experience on the vacation

scheme and training contract so far have

confirmed this. Despite having started during

the pandemic, I’ve felt incredibly supported by

the firm. My supervisors have been committed

in ensuring I still receive the best experience

possible notwithstanding remote working,

and the firm have numerous D&I initiatives to

ensure that your opinions are heard.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT

ashurst.com/en/careers/students-and-graduates

93

MAKING A WORLD

OF DIFFERENCE

As a global top 10 law practice, Eversheds Sutherland provides legal services

to a global client base, ranging from small and mid-sized businesses to the

largest multinationals. Its commitment to developing a diverse and inclusive

workforce is underpinned by its core values of collaboration, openness,

professionalism, creativity, and inclusion, which sit at the heart of its strategy.

The firm recognises that current levels of ethnic diversity in the legal

profession need to increase and has committed to making a positive change.

Eversheds Sutherland provides

two routes to becoming a qualified

lawyer, the Apprenticeship and the

Traineeship. We caught up with two

apprentice solicitors, Krishan Jadav

and Heather Jones, trainee solicitor

Stanley Amoh, and associate

solicitor Hahmiz Butt to learn about

their experiences at the firm.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Heather, what attracted you to

apply for a legal apprenticeship?

I have always been passionate about

the Law, politics and economics.

This interest was sparked by taking

economics and politics at A-level as

it provided me with the opportunity

to learn more about legislature and

the role of solicitors in our society.

Due to this interest, and my goal to

qualify as a solicitor, I thought the

apprenticeship route would suit me

as it gave me the opportunity to

gain first-hand experience working

in a legal environment while gaining

a degree. I also thought that such

work experience would allow me

to become a more well-rounded

solicitor in the future.

What have been your experiences of

working at Eversheds Sutherland?

My experience has been really

positive so far. As I started the

apprenticeship directly after my

A-levels, I had very little experience

working in a corporate environment.

Therefore I was a bit nervous.

However, the people at Eversheds

Sutherland were very welcoming

and friendly from the start.

94

How have you found adapting to

remote working and how has the

firm supported your transition to

working remotely?

I have found the transition to

working remotely very smooth

as I was supported by both my

colleagues and the firm. I was

provided with equipment, such as

a monitor and laptop, to set up an

office at home. My colleagues also

made sure to keep up my training

while working remotely so I have

continuously had weekly catch-up

and training calls and am in constant

contact with my team.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Krishan, Eversheds Sutherland was

among the first law firms to offer a

route to becoming a fully qualified

solicitor through its Trailblazer

apprenticeship scheme. How are

you finding it so far? Has it met

your expectations?

Yes, so far it has exceeded them!

The role is designed to enable you

to build real relationships; you are

invited to meetings and trusted to

communicate directly with clients.

My day can involve anything from

drafting documents to working

on a completion. Pre Covid I had

the opportunity to travel to the

Milan office, which was an amazing

experience and has helped to

develop the skills that I will need as

I continue with my career.

Krishan, I believe you are now the

Junior Talent Champion for the

Verve Network committee, how

important do you think your new

role will be to help shape Eversheds

Sutherland’s strategy to increase

levels of ethnic diversity in the legal

profession?

Following our new ethnicity targets

for the UK, being 10% ethnic minority

partners by 2025 and 14% ethnic

minority colleagues by 2022, it is

vital that we focus on sub-areas to

make sure that these larger targets

are achieved. The Verve network

– the firm’s ethnicity network

which aims to raise awareness and

understanding of the experiences

of ethnic minority colleagues in

the workplace – has approached

this by appointing Champions for

different ethnicity groups and myself

as Junior Talent Champion. It is

important to understand that each

strand faces its own challenges,

and by having Champions in each

area, we have developed our own

objectives to tackle such challenges.

Being an apprentice and having a

significant involvement in creating

a diverse environment within

the firm is important in showing

that diversity and inclusion is not

something that can only be achieved

by individuals in certain positions,

but that it can be promoted by

anyone and starts with reflection

on yourself.

What role do you think

apprenticeships can play in

widening access to the legal

profession for ethnic minorities?

Ethnic minorities don’t necessarily

have the same access to pursue a

Krishan Jadav

Apprentice Solicitor

Heather Jones

Apprentice Solicitor

Hahmiz Butt

Associate Solicitor

Stanley Amoh

Trainee Solicitor

career in law, but the apprenticeship

gives a real chance at not only

having a career in law but also

having a career with an international

firm that has years of experience to

support their development. As we

look towards the future generation

of lawyers, it’s important that we

have a more diverse and inclusive

profession.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Hahmiz, what has been a highlight

of your training so far?

The scale of transactions undertaken

has allowed me to work alongside

different departments in the office,

such as banking and litigation,

which has given me a broader

understanding. It was important

for me to choose a firm that

emphasised inclusivity, and from my

first day I noticed how approachable

everyone was, I felt really included.

Eversheds Sutherland is different in

that sense because everyone makes

time for you, no matter who you are.

I’ve visited colleagues in the Hong

Kong and Shanghai offices, and

despite not knowing me, they were

extremely welcoming.

What have been your experiences of

working at Eversheds Sutherland?

It’s a great place to work if you

enjoy a fast paced environment,

and the firm is always mindful of

people’s welfare and how it can

accommodate different working

styles. ‘Idea Drop’ is one of our

recent initiatives, which allows

everyone to make their voice

heard. What also stood out for

me was the focus on personal and

professional development. When

I wanted to get more involved in

business development events, I was

introduced to one of the partners,

who is really keen on this. People at

the firm want you to achieve and are

willing to help you on your journey.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Stanley, what attracted you to

apply for a training contract with

Eversheds Sutherland?

I was attracted to apply to the firm

due to its sector expertise as well

as its commitment to improving

diversity within the legal sector. The

wide variety of legal clients provides

me with an opportunity to gain deal

experience with a wide and global

client base from large multinationals

to small and mid-size businesses.

Eversheds’ combination with US firm

Sutherland in 2017 also ensures it is

uniquely placed to provide clients

with a distinctive offering driven by

technology and sector expertise, a

combination that greatly appealed

to me.

How inclusive is the culture?

Eversheds Sutherland is very

passionate about inclusivity. The firm

has launched a target to increase

ethnic diversity in its UK teams. In

addition, the firm has committed to

voluntarily publishing its ethnicity

pay data alongside its gender pay

report highlighting its desire to be a

firm which reflects the world in which

we live in. The firm’s position as a

founding member of PRIME cements

its aim to support people from a less

privileged background and ensures

that opportunity is available to the

many and not the few.

What advice would you give to

anyone wanting to apply for a

training contract?

Focus on your strengths. The

firm’s move to a strengths based

assessment means there is greater

focus on learning more about the

personality of the interviewee

enabling them to eloquently

share their experience and

reasons for a career in law.

We are now open to applications for the following programmes: Yr 12/13 Legal Insight Evenings – deadline

14/11/21, 2021 Graduate Insight Evenings – deadline 22/11/21, 2022 Summer Vacation Scheme – deadline

2/01/22, 2022 Apprenticeship programme – deadline 23/01/22, 1st Yr Law/2nd Yr Non-Law Open Daydeadline

06/03/21. We will open to applications for our UK and Middle East Training Contract on 01/03/22.

All applications are to be made online here: https://www.apply4law.com/eversheds-sutherland/

It’s a journey,

not a destination

Koser Shaheen, GLD Lawyer, Chair of EMLD Division, and Law Society Council

Member for the Ethnic Minorities Constituency, discusses the rewards and the

pitfalls of starting from a BAME background and embarking on a legal career

96

Your life is just one long, incredible journey not a destination. I have had

an incredibly rewarding career and decided to share my journey into the

profession so that people who have been in similar situations can see it is

possible to achieve whatever you want in life as long as you’re willing to

work hard and pick yourself back up after every knock down. When a door is

slammed in your face (metaphorically speaking), a window of opportunity is

opened. Don’t spend too long worrying about the past and miss the beginning

of another wonderful chapter in your book of life.

I am the eldest of six children and

was born and raised in Birmingham.

When I was 11, I was taken out of

school and began following the

blueprint that had been laid out

for my life. At 18, I entered into an

arranged marriage and two years

later, my daughter was born. Not

having an education meant that my

career choices were limited. I worked

as a mushroom picker, cleaner

and clothes packer. After doing

these manual jobs for a few years,

I realised I wanted an education, a

degree and a career. I applied to

study a degree in law at my local

university in the West Midlands.

I took my studies seriously and

worked hard throughout university –

going to every lecture and graduated

with the highest first-class degree

in my university that year. While I

was still living in Birmingham, I was

offered a training contract in London.

My daughter encouraged me to

go – telling me if I did not follow my

dreams now, I never would. I am now

a qualified lawyer and have recently

accepted a new position at HM

Treasury to assist the government

with the transition of the UK leaving

the EU. I have never regretted my

decision to enter the law.

The challenges faced by black

and ethnic minority students and

lawyers are many. From getting

the right help at the right time to

access to the profession through to

recruitment, retention, development

and progression.

Access to the profession

Ignorance may be blissful, but there

is price to pay for naivety. Being the

first person in my family to go to uni,

an ex-polytechnic in Birmingham,

I was very inexperienced compared

to others who came from a legal

family background, who often had

access to privileged knowledge.

It took longer for me to understand

what was expected of me. It did not

help that my academic courses left

me unprepared for the requirements

of the real-world profession.

The actual and perceived gold

standard of Oxbridge and Russell

Group remains unquestioned and

perhaps wrongly reinforced by the

legal profession. Invariably, talented

students outside these universities

do not see the benefits of targeted

legal career information and work

placement opportunities. It is a

two-way issue. Many law firms

target the Russell Group, which

prepares its students accordingly.

There is no route directly for other

universities preparing students for

something that might not transpire

when it is not pushed for. Many

talented students do not apply

to universities because they need

to support families, or they lack

funding. Social class and BAME

are inextricably linked, with BAME

candidates predominantly drawn

from non-traditional backgrounds.

To date, candidates from such

backgrounds have been less likely

to have the right information at the

right time. Being privately educated,

having family connections, access

to extracurricular opportunities and

substantive work experience can

still heavily influence access and

recruitment to legal practice.

“We are seeing

concerted efforts

by the leaders

in the legal

profession who

are positively

promoting

integrated culture

frameworks

within their

organisations”

Retention and progression

The culture within a firm determines

a need for employees to ‘fit in’

with the ethos, aesthetic and

cultural ‘behaviours’ of the firm,

through looking ‘right’, acting ‘right’

and having the ‘right’ social and

educational background. The hardest

challenge I have faced is getting

over my own stereotypes, accepting

myself for who I am and believing

myself to be equal to those around

me. I think this was because I was a

latecomer to law and also because

I was then the only lawyer wearing

a hijab in the whole office. Perhaps

I felt more pressure because I was

easily identifiable.

Immutable characteristics such

as a person’s race and other

characteristics such as religion,

cultural beliefs, dress sense, the

social and educational background

could all factor in recruitment

decisions. However, corporate

cultures are constantly selfrenewing,

and the legal profession

is no different. We are seeing

concerted efforts by the leaders in

the legal profession who are, beyond

the predictable lip-service gestures,

positively promoting integrated

culture frameworks within their

organisations. However, there is

much more to be done on the BAME

talent question. The increase in

BAME representation is not evenly

distributed across the profession

It is not all doom and gloom!

BAME solicitors now make up 16.5%

of the profession, a considerable

increase from 1987, when it was less

than 2%. Further, figures for BAME

trainee intake varies from firm to

firm and there is evidence that more

firms are widening their pool and

recruiting candidates from nontraditional

backgrounds.

Whilst hosting celebratory events

and marking significant milestones

97

does have benefits, decision makers

must consider promoting more

tailored D&I programmes to address

the BAME talent lacuna. It is not ‘one

size fits all’. BAME members often

have intersectionality with other D&I

characteristics. They have shared

challenges with the majority group,

but they can also have individual

experiences. To better support the

needs of BAME members there is

a need to understand the role of

intersectionality and its impact.

For example, LGBT+ members are

generalised as one homogenous

group, and little has been done to

understand BAME LGBT+ solicitors

who, because of their multiple

identities, will have different insights/

experiences that have not been

articulated or captured.

Positivity is on the horizon. I

see greater efforts by the legal

industry to work towards better

integration and diversity. With

increasing opportunities post Brexit

and growing relationships outside

borders, there is a need for lawyers

who are au fait with international

markets, language and culture.

Things I wish I had known!

Be kind. Be helpful. Be honest.

Above all else, do not get caught

up in my own self-doubt watching

everyone else. Take a deep breath

and ignore the noise. You are exactly

where you were meant to be but

also accept that there will be missed

opportunities and where you could

have done things differently – it’s

a long road, but it’s also a journey

well-travelled.

With the ever reducing the number

of training contracts and pupillages

it has never been more important to

invest in yourself and develop your

personal brand. When you enter

into any new profession, deficiencies

in knowledge is a given. Your law

degree does not really teach you

how to practice law. You may have

been on point with your courses

and assignments – if you study

well, you get the grades. However,

converting superficial and theoretical

knowledge of a lot of law subjects to

desirable practical skills is the key to

success. We all learn with time and

there is no ‘eureka!’ moment, but it

does all come together eventually.

If you can speed up that process, do

it! How? Be Job ready!

1. COMMUNICATING CLEARLY

AND EFFECTIVELY IS THE

GREATER PART OF THE JOB.

First impressions last and can be

fateful. Employers will look at your

applications in full, not just your

grades. Your cover letters should be

tailored and not a ‘copy and paste’

job. A bulky CV with unnecessary

information may be overlooked. Be

succinct and make sure there are

no spelling mistakes. You would be

surprised at how many CVs I have

seen with obvious mistakes, which

usually end up in the ‘no’ pile.

2. STRENGTHEN YOUR WRITING,

RESEARCH AND ANALYTICAL

THINKING SKILLS.

Memorising a few templates does

not convert to the essential skill sets

that employers look for, like contract

drafting or research skills.

3. BE READY TO ANSWER THE

ULTIMATE QUESTION, ‘WHAT

KIND OF LAW ARE YOU GOING

TO PRACTICE?’.

There are numerous routes open

to you but what has become

apparent to me is that you will

not be motivated if you pick a

field of practice that does not fit

your personality. Make sure you

research different kinds of law.

Work placements, ideally in your

second year of university, are great

opportunities before you decide.

4. PRACTICE YOUR INTERVIEW

AND PRESENTATION SKILLS.

Learning how to speak in front of

a group is a learned skill. I have

seen many lawyers in meetings and

presentations talk as if they were

totally unprepared. Of course, it is

not that they did not know their

subject but more that they lacked

the skills to convey that knowledge.

There are numerous courses on oral

presentation skills, I would certainly

recommend all would-be lawyers

to take some time to develop these

skills to enable you to exhibit the

confidence of knowing what you are

talking about, in making arguments

or presentations to clients.

5. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO WIN

EVERY ARGUMENT.

Exercise your critical thinking

muscles and embrace uncertainty.

While it is difficult to determine

when, the earlier you have the

confidence to know when to back

down the sooner that you gain that

confidence to explore and challenge

yourself, these are the characteristics

most attractive to employers.

Finally, and importantly, a legal career

can be demanding and competitive,

it is easy to burnout and fall foul of

the negative effects of stress and

exhaustion. Your study-work-life

balance is what you make of it but

taking care of your emotional wellbeing

is a high priority – even more

so in the current climate of remote

working and isolation from regular

support groups. Make time for

yourself. If you are truly struggling,

talk to your friends, lecturers or

colleagues and get help.

98

COMMITTED TO MAKING

A DIFFERENCE

Fiona Fleming is Diversity & Inclusion Manager for BDB Pitmans

How important is Diversity and

Inclusion at BDB Pitmans and

what is your approach?

Diversity and inclusion (D&I) are one

of the five strategic priorities for

the firm. We approach diversity and

inclusion holistically – it is everyone’s

responsibility to ensure we are

building an inclusive workplace and

recruiting, retaining, and promoting

a workforce that is diverse. We

do this through two key areas:

education and action. We ensure

that all our staff receive training on

inclusive behaviours, and continue

that education through seminars,

webinars, and written content.

We also strongly encourage selfeducation.

Alongside that, we are

committed to action: ensuring we

have robust policies, processes, and

procedures in place that focus on

inclusion and eliminating bias.

You are the new D&I Manager

at BDB Pitmans. What does

your role entail?

It’s really exciting to be the first

person in the role of D&I Manager at

BDB Pitmans. In a nutshell, my job

covers everything related to diversity

and inclusion, from developing and

implementing our firm-wide D&I

strategy to working with our clients

to promote diversity and inclusion,

and our internal D&I strategy

group and employee networks.

In partnership with our Business

Impact Groups, I am also responsible

for running our annual calendar

of D&I-related events, such as our

annual D&I Fortnight and Health

& Wellbeing Fortnight, as well as,

for example, LGBT History Month,

PRIDE, Black History Month, and

Mental Health Awareness Month.

BDB Pitmans has a number of

internal staff networks. Tell us

about these D&I initiatives?

SHINE is our internal multi-cultural

group, established to support all

employees at the firm to be their

authentic selves and to champion

their achievements in the workplace.

The group provides a forum for

ethnic minority staff to share issues

and discuss their experiences in a

safe space, and encourages peer

support between ethnic minority

employees at the firm.

SHINE liaises closely with the firm’s

D&I Strategy Group to raise issues

within the firm of matters affecting

ethnic minority employees and to

assist in identifying ways in which the

firm can support its ethnic minority

employees, as well as advising as to

how the firm can attract, retain and

promote diverse talent.

Best Self is BDB Pitmans’ internal

LGBTQ+ group, and is the firm’s

longest-serving network. The

group is open to anyone at the firm

identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual,

trans, queer, and questioning, as well

as other sexual identities (such as

intersex, non-binary, and pan sexual).

It is also open to our straight allies.

We are also really proud to be a

founding member of LeGal BesT, a

network of 15 law firms who believe

that we can achieve more together

to support LGBTQ+ staff.

We intend over the next 12 months

to expand the number of business

impact groups across the firm.

What new initiatives are BDB

Pitman’s seeking to launch

this year?

We have recently launched our first

reciprocal mentoring programme,

as well as three new business impact

groups: Balance (working parents

and carers); Breaking Even (gender

equity); and Mind+Body (health,

wellbeing, and disability). We are also

proud to have signed up to The Halo

Code (which protects employees

with hairstyles associated with racial,

religious, and cultural identities), and

the 10,000 Black Interns programme,

which launches in 2022.

What advice would you give to

someone looking for a career at

BDB Pitmans?

Be yourself. BDB Pitmans really is a

firm that embraces individuality, and

is committed to building a culture of

belonging for all its people. We pride

ourselves on being warm, friendly,

open-minded, and approachable.

We’re not interested in culture ‘fit’:

we’re interested in culture ‘add’.

For more information about training

and careers at BDB Pitmans visit

https://www.bdbpitmans.com

FionaFLEMING@bdbpitmans.com

99

WHAT DOES

THE GLD DO?

By Ashley Taylorson, GLD Deputy Head of

Communications and Engagement

The Government Legal Department provides

legal advice to government on the development,

design and implementation of government policies

and decisions, and represents the government

in court. We have more than 1800 employees,

around 1300 of whom are solicitors or barristers.

GLD lawyers: advise government whether a policy can be

implemented under existing legislation; help prepare new bills

and take them through Parliament; provide litigation services

to government departments; advise and act for government

on employment law, commercial law and European law; work

closely with ministers, civil servants and Parliamentary counsel.

“I recently joined the Government Legal Department (GLD) and work for

HM Treasury. GLD is the largest provider of legal services across government,

working with all the main Whitehall departments. Lawyers across GLD

support policy officials and Ministers with analysis of the legal landscape,

advice on policy options, and the development of a huge range of primary

and secondary legislation. It is all very exciting and cutting-edge work.

A

diverse workforce can

increase the capacity for

innovation and creativity.

GLD is a department

committed to diversity and

inclusion. In July 2020, GLD joined

over 100 companies from across the

UK, Europe and other jurisdictions

in signing the General Counsel for

Diversity and Inclusion’s statement

to support diversity and inclusion

across the legal sector. GLD is the

first government department to

sign the statement, which has the

primary goal to promote greater

diversity and inclusion in the legal

profession, and encourages all

signatories to share best practice

on how to achieve a broader, richer

environment and identify systemic

issues that hinder progress.

GLD has just been ranked 34th in

the Social Mobility Employer Index

2020, improving from 69th place

when we last entered in 2018.

The Social Mobility Employer Index is

the leading UK ranking of employer

best practice in promoting social

mobility. Employers are assessed

across seven key areas, these include

their work with young people, routes

into the company, how they attract

talent, recruitment and selection,

data collection, progression,

experienced hires, and advocacy.

GLD comes in as the 7th highest

Government Department, and

the 12th highest law firm in 2020.

GLD has also established several

Diversity Networks to assist in

promoting diversity and inclusion.

Those networks:

•`support and challenge the

organisation to create a more

inclusive culture

• mark and celebrate diversity

events and produce regular

communications on D&I topics

• influence policy creation, strategic

decisions and training initiatives

• champion inclusivity with support

from a Director Level champion

• provide a safe space for open

discussion and debate

There are many routes into law and

many practice areas. Do consider

GLD as one of those possible

options. I would recommend it to

everyone! “

100

LIFE AT THE BAR

Becoming a QC and my journey to the Bar – an interview with

Siân Mirchandani QC, Barrister with 4 New Square

Why was becoming a barrister

the right career for you?

My family background is British

Asian. My father was an immigrant

Indian doctor and my Welsh mother

was formerly a nurse, then a medical

secretary. My father died when I

was 12 years old. My brother (now

a litigation solicitor and partner at

Hogan Lovells), and I were raised in

Swansea by our mother. Sadly, the

very week in which I had my silk

ceremony in March 2019 was the

same week as my mother’s funeral.

I attended a local comprehensive

school and then Emmanuel College,

Cambridge. I took the longest,

slowest route to the Bar – becoming

a veterinary surgeon first. I chose

this subject as it appeared to be the

most challenging option available,

I liked animals and was good at

sciences. When I eventually realised

that I didn’t want to pursue a career

as a vet or in the pharmaceutical

industry I sought professional

careers advice and undertook

several vocational tests. The results

of nearly all of these pointed

strongly to an aptitude for law.

Having spent a few weeks seeing

practice with lawyers (both solicitors

and barristers), I chose to move

to London to take the Common

Professional Examination at City

University. I supported myself by

doing veterinary locum positions at

weekends. From there, I went on to

the Bar Course at the Inns of Court

and then pupillage at 2 Crown Office

Row, London (now 4 New Square),

still undertaking veterinary locum

work until 2000.

Following completion of pupillage in

1998 I was taken on as a tenant, and I

have remained at 4 New Square ever

since. I applied for silk in 2018 and

was appointed in March 2019.

What advice and support did

you receive along the way?

I found my cohort of would-be

barristers to be a hugely supportive

crowd. There were others, like me, a

bit older, who had already had one

career. We kept each other going

when at times it seemed we have

given ourselves an impossible goal.

When I was offered a pupillage, I still

did not appreciate how momentous

this was – as it had been one of the

first assessments I had done. I did

not know whether to accept or try

for others. I was working to support

myself and also working hard on

assignments so I had had little

time to find out about other sets

of chambers (and websites did not

exist!). I quickly did a few placements

in other sets and realised the true

value of what I had been offered

and accepted that first offer. It was

absolutely the right place for me.

What is it about the profession

that particularly suits you?

I am a problem solver. I am able to

assist others with understanding

complex and daunting matters. They

do not spend their lives in litigation

and their brushes with the law

may be deeply unpleasant. I work

with a lot of professionals who are

perhaps being sued or disciplined,

and it is often a shocking or draining

experience for them. My role is to

reassure them that there is a route

through it; that they will come out

the other side and will carry on in

their profession. Being that person,

who charts then steers the course is

absolutely the best part of the job.

What are the challenges facing

today’s aspiring barristers?

The financial challenge is horrifying.

I received a full grant for six years

of university, with no tuition fees.

Funding my CPR and BTC in London

myself, with family support, was hard

enough, but had I been carrying

debts from my earlier career it would

not have been possible.

There is fierce competition to

get pupillage and the level of

competition for even mini-pupillages

is sobering. I mentor aspiring

barristers and solicitors – their

drive, sophistication and industry is

remarkable. The future of the Bar is

in good hands!

There is excellent support and

information for aspiring barristers,

and significant scholarships from

the Inns of Court. Some sets of

chambers also offer funding for

pupillage and LLMs. These, and

funded, assessed mini-pupillages are

a fantastic development.

I wait to see if these massive efforts

to improve diversity and help with

adequate funding at the student

stages do result in increased

numbers of barristers from BAME

backgrounds.


to someone from an underrepresented

background,

seeking a career at the Bar?

Your background is likely to have

shaped and formed you. Anything

that you have overcome to get

to where you are is likely to be of

interest when you are applying.

Tell that story. Tell it well.

Really read the questions on

application forms! Use highlighter

pens to ensure you see what are

the “key triggers”. The forms are

designed so each answer is marked

against a marking grid. If you don’t

include the information that is

being asked for then you cannot

be given the marks.

Get someone to read your

completed forms and ruthlessly

check for spelling, grammar,

punctuation and that the question

has been answered. No one who

leaves in simple errors should be

surprised at a lack of success.

For more information

about 4 New Square

and our pupillages visit

https://www.4newsquare.com/

recruitment/pupillage/

101

It takes all

kinds of smart

Emotional intelligence is at the heart of what we

do. Our lawyers aren’t just technically brilliant;

they connect the dots and celebrate differences.

We’re looking for trainees to become our

lawyers of tomorrow with razor-sharp skills,

the enthusiasm to get stuck in and a hunger

to to learn. Working together, we’ll give you the

responsibility and support you need to flourish.

Visit charlesrussellspeechlys.com/trainees to

meet some of of our team

QUESTIONS IN LAW

Mark Neale, Director General of the Bar Standards Board, asks what it’s like

being a barrister, and what is being done to encourage diversity and inclusion

I guess you’re reading this article

because you’re wondering what a

career as a barrister might be like.

Strangely enough, I have spent

much of this year wondering the

same thing. I only took over as the

regulator of barristers in February.

I’m not a barrister myself. So I’ve

been learning about the profession

by talking to barristers and pupils

(trainee barristers) and by attending

lots of professional events.

Here are some of the things that

have struck me.

The first is that barristers care a lot

about the independence, diversity

and quality of their own profession.

Most barristers work for themselves

and so can’t rely on an employer

to look after their training and

development.

Instead, many barristers – including

very senior ones – help support

newcomers to the profession. Some

act as pupil supervisors who directly

oversee the work of trainee barristers

who have joined their chambers

(which is what barristers call their

offices). Others give up time to train

young barristers in advocacy and

other professional skills.

So, if you become a barrister, you will

have lots of personal support from

other barristers who have been there

and done that. You will not be on

your own.

Another thing you will find is that

insight is essential to a barrister’s

success. You are there to advise

and represent your clients and, if

necessary, to advocate their cases

in Court. So whether your client is a

vulnerable person in a criminal or a

family case or a company protecting

its commercial interests, you have to

be able to understand your client’s

objectives and talk to them on their

terms, not yours.

It’s very important that all consumers

– whether people or businesses –

have access to justice on equal

terms. As a barrister, you will play an

important role in making good on

that principle.

You will find too that the work is very

varied and challenging. Whatever

branch of law you specialise in, no

two cases are the same. You will

have to work out what the key issues

are in each case and how those

issues relate to the law. You will have

to explain to your clients what the

prospects are for their cases. You

will sometimes have to advocate

your clients’ cases in Court.

You won’t necessarily be working on

your own though. In many big cases,

barristers work together as part

of a team to analyse and advocate

their clients’ cases. So teamwork is

just as important as individual selfdiscipline.

And those teams – and your fellow

barristers – will be diverse. They will

come from all kinds of backgrounds.

Nearly 40% of barristers are women.

Around 14% of barristers are from

Black, Asian and minority ethnic

backgrounds – in line with the

representation in society as a whole.

6% of barristers have a disability.

Now, I’m not going to tell you that

we have yet achieved racial or

gender equality among barristers.

There are still inequalities in the

way barristers are recruited and

progress. You can read about the

continuing challenges in the reports

my organisation, the Bar Standards

Board, has published on the training

and progression of barristers.

But I am going to tell you that it is

critical that barristers are a reflection

of the society they serve and that

103

we, as the regulator, working with

the profession itself, are determined

to tackle discrimination and to

ensure equality. That’s why we

published an anti-racist statement

in November setting out what

we expect all chambers to do to

support equality. That includes

auditing their recruitment practices

and the way work is shared out. It

includes taking positive action to

tackle discrimination. And it includes

providing anti-racist training for

all barristers and staff. Just in case

you’re wondering, we’re also doing

all these things at the Bar Standards

Board itself.

So I hope you will pursue your

interest in a career as a barrister and,

perhaps, be inspired by some of the

case studies of successful barristers

who have taken this path before you.

Here are a few examples:

LESLIE THOMAS QC

(GARDEN COURT CHAMBERS)

“If you are a person of colour, you

may not think that becoming a

barrister is for you. There are no

two ways about it, the Bar has

traditionally been a predominantly

white, privately educated and

middle-class profession, but it is

a profession that is changing and

one that I would encourage you to

look at and consider entering into

seriously. You are needed.

The profession needs diversity. Lots

of it. My story: I am a black man of

African-Caribbean heritage, state

educated, working class roots and

First Generation University in my

family. But all of these factors I have

turned not into obstacles holding me

back but positive traits as to why a

profession like the Bar needed me,

and people like me. The rule of law

and practice of law affects us all,

regardless of where we come from

or what we look like.

“When they put

their trust in me

what they want is

someone who is

prepared to go that

extra mile and fight

their corner.”

We all have a right to shape our

destiny. As the law is a powerful tool

for change, my personal philosophy

is therefore why not use it for an

instrument of good.

In the 30 years I have been

practising at the Bar, although

at times I have encountered

discrimination, I can honestly say

the people who have been greatly

appreciative of the work I have done

have been my clients regardless

of what they look, like their social

status, gender, sexuality, religion or

race. When they put their trust in

me what they want is someone who

is prepared to go that extra mile

and fight their corner. That is what

I give them.

The rewards have been amazing.

I’m not talking about the financial

rewards in being a barrister, but the

job satisfaction in knowing that you

can really make a difference and be

a force for good in other people’s

lives. I doubt there are many other

professions that can give the

intellectual challenge, variety and

personal satisfaction that you get

doing this job. A life at the Bar has

told me that being a member of a

particular race or being a certain

colour are not job requirements,

rather being disciplined, tenacious,

hardworking, determined with

integrity and a large dash of

creativity are the qualities you need

to succeed.”

RAGGI KOTAK

(ONE PUMP COURT)

“I’m a queer South Asian woman,

who grew up in London. I’ve been

an immigration barrister now for

approximately twenty years. I feel

very fortunate. It’s a great job. I get

to work with asylum seekers, which

is such a pleasure, and bring huge

change to their lives.

It is hard work, particularly in the

early days. You have to really want

to be a barrister to be successful at

it. You have to be willing to show up

and do the work.

I came to the Bar a little bit late,

from a non-traditional route. I left

school without many qualifications.

Basically, I grew up around a lot of

violence and wasn’t really able to

104

concentrate on studying. I went to

do an Access Course when I was 21.

Which gave me access to university.

I initially studied Business Studies.

I then did a one-year conversion

course onto law. After this, I had to

do a one-year Bar Vocational Course

to become a barrister.

There are a growing number of

barristers from diverse backgrounds.

Being a barrister is something that

everyone can do. Diversity brings

different experiences and resilience,

which can give us an edge.

We need more diversity in law. If

being a barrister is something that

really appeals to you. Then I say go

for it. It really is an awesome career.

It really is a career that is available

to us all.”

SARA IBRAHIM

(3 HARE COURT)

“Becoming a barrister was a path

I gravitated towards at University.

It offered the promise of being

intellectually challenging, whilst at

the same time being able to help

people solve their real life problems.

The Bar gives its members the

privilege of advocating for clients

who are facing a crisis, such as loss

of their job or helping a business

recover money owed to them that

they need to survive. For those

who work hard, you can make a

meaningful difference to the lives

of those you represent. It is a career

where you succeed or fail on your

own merits and that is incredibly

attractive, if sometimes testing.

“I would want all

BAME students to

view any differences

as a potential

enhancement to

what they can

offer rather than a

disadvantage.”

Great strides are being made

to promote better equality and

diversity at the Bar. Ultimately

the Bar wants the most talented

recruits and that means encouraging

aspirant barristers from all

backgrounds. Most importantly,

students from BAME backgrounds

entering the profession enrich it

with their unique perspectives and

life experiences.

I would want all BAME students to

view any differences as a potential

enhancement to what they can offer

rather than a disadvantage. This

is not to say that greater progress

cannot be made. However, 2020

has proven a seminal year with

the Black Lives Matter movement

encouraging the Bar to think

deeply about anti-black racism

and racism more generally that is

faced by BAME members. Like all

other candidates, BAME students

who want to be barristers need

to be proactive, willing to listen

to feedback and dedicated to

advancing their client’s case. The

spotlight is now on ensuring that

students can focus on these matters

without being hobbled by concerns

about racism or being BAME.

What is heartening is the increase

of opportunities for BAME barristers

in the profession. For the justice

system to continue to thrive, we

need to ensure BAME students

can become barristers and to have

successful practices. After 14 years

at the Bar, I can say I am proud to be

a BAME barrister.”

******************************************

You can find information about the

path to becoming a barrister at

www.barstandardsboard.org.uk.

You will have to have a law degree

or a degree in another subject and

to have achieved at least a II.2 and

then undergo a law conversion

course. You will then have to

undertake a year of professional

training. And you will then have

to find chambers in which to

undertake your work experience or

pupillage. The competition is tough,

so not everyone succeeds.

But if you do succeed you will find

yourself serving the rule of law

and the public in a diverse and

independent profession where

understanding your client and

teamwork count for as much as

brainwork.

105

NURTURING DIVERSE TALENT

Why Gatehouse is putting equality and inclusion at its core

Based in central London,

Gatehouse Chambers

(formerly known as

Hardwicke Chambers)

is a leading, award-winning

barristers’ chambers specialising

in advocacy and advisory work

in construction, commercial,

insurance and property law. We

are a modern forward-thinking

organisation with over 90

barristers and 35 staff working

to provide an outstanding

service to our domestic and

international clients.

A moment here to reflect on our

own journey to Gatehouse

Chambers. During the course of

2020 and the BLM protests following

the murder of George Floyd, a

number of legal bloggers started

to investigate historic legal figures,

including Lord Hardwicke, the

18th century Lord Chancellor. Lord

Hardwicke was one of two authors

of the Yorke-Talbot opinion in 1729

which was relied on by slave owners

as providing legal justification for

slavery for many years.

The premises of Hardwicke Building

was named by Lincoln’s Inn and

became the name of our chambers

when we occupied the building

in 1991. Once we discovered the

association, the name Hardwicke

did not sit comfortably with our

values. We were planning to move

location by then, and the concept

of perpetuating the legacy of Lord

Hardwicke by taking the name with

us when we moved was unthinkable

and did not make any business sense.

The name change and building move

enabled us to review our core values

and agree on an organisational

‘Gatehouse Chambers Charter’

setting out an internal pledge and

one shared publicly on our website.

We are the proud winners of many

accolades and awards for equality,

diversity and inclusion. Barristers’

chambers have traditionally struggled

to attract and retain diverse talent.

We strive to recruit those who in

the past might not have considered

applying to the Bar, and then to

provide support, encouragement and

opportunities to develop and retain

that talent. Gatehouse Chambers is

committed to promoting equality of

opportunity and good relations with

all those we work with and for.

The journey to becoming a barrister

at Gatehouse Chambers starts with

training. Those selected for pupillage

are supported and welcomed into

the collegiate atmosphere. Pupils

are treated as part of the team from

day one. This first year of training is

a chance to explore the things you

are interested in. You are exposed

to many different areas of law from

the very outset. The training period

is a chance to work with a range of

different barrister colleagues, from

those who have just started out

in practice at the Bar through to

Queen’s Counsel and those who sit

as part time judges. The programme

encompasses a variety of different

types of training including advocacy

exercises and presentations on case

law. However, the success of our

approach is the investment we make

in all those who train with us.

In addition to supervisors from

different practice areas, each pupil is

assigned other practicing members

(we call them ‘wingers’) who provide

further support; whether that is to

listen, answer questions, take them

to Court or give them a few words

of encouragement when needed. We

celebrate training at all levels and in

developing the careers of members.

We were proud to win awards given

by Legal Cheek for Best Chambers

for Training and Best Chambers for

Colleague Supportiveness in 2021.

Alongside our own training

programme, we are delighted to

be one of the founder members of

Bridging the Bar, an initiative aimed

at attracting people from minority

ethnic groups to consider a career

at the Bar, and to invite them in for

crucial mini pupillage opportunities.

Chambers’ culture is built around

its people, its core values and its

policies, embodied in our Charter.

We believe that policies are not

just for show but are there to guide

and direct our actions, and their

implementation has led to a culture

which we consider is positive,

empowers and supports all talent

and is strongly anti-discrimination,

anti-victimisation, anti-harassment

and anti-bullying.

106

Our barristers develop their practices

in the early years with opportunities

to practice across many areas of

the law. From an early stage they

have the opportunity to build strong

relationships with and represent

our clients at the many courts and

tribunals around England and Wales

(and, sometimes, even overseas).

Gatehouse Chambers is proud of

the professional management and

business support on offer to our

barristers and clients. There are

many staff roles that contribute to

the smooth running of things, from

fees collection (debt recovery), office

assistants and a marketing team.

We advertise widely when recruiting

to the staff team. Our Staff Team

Mission Statement identifies six

key commitments which underpin

our work and aims. Drawing from

our Mission, we have a shared

commitment to learning and

developing ourselves and one

another. It is important to us that

we nurture diverse talent and are

proud that many staff members have

developed their careers and been

promoted within the Gatehouse staff

team. We are very proud to have a

diverse staff team, drawn from folk

from different backgrounds and

experiences. We think this helps us

stand out.

Gatehouse Chambers champions

and participates in many equality

initiatives including supporting

Stonewall, FreeBar, the Women

in Law pledge, Black History

Month, LGBTQIA+ History Month,

Neurodiversity in Law, Freehold,

Through the Looking Glass, ERA

Pledge, and a number of other

initiatives (some in collaboration

with City law firms) aimed at

promoting diversity in Chambers,

at the Bar and in wider society.

Chambers monitors its diversity

in terms of sex, gender identity,

sexuality, age, race, beliefs and

socio-economic backgrounds on a

regular basis and is always seeking

to learn from that data so as to

ensure equality of opportunity at

the recruitment and development

stages of the careers of its members

and staff. That data shows that

chambers has barristers and staff

from all walks of life, and that

diversity is on the increase.

We also have an Equality, Diversity

and Inclusion (EDI) Committee

and three taskforces with specific

remits aimed at identifying and

implementing ways in which we can

educate and create an organisation

with equal opportunities for all staff,

members, pupils and those with

whom we work.

For many years Gatehouse Chambers

(and previously as Hardwicke) has

been known as a leader at the Bar

for Corporate Social Responsibility

(CSR) activity with a focus on access

to the legal profession, youth and

education. It is a CSR priority to

provide talented people access to

the legal profession, particularly

those who have not in the past had

the opportunity, or do not have

other connections. As well as our

involvement in a range of mentoring

activities, we know that inviting

people into our work space to spend

time with our barristers, pupils

and staff can make a real impact

on people’s career choices, and

assist them in building a network of

contacts for the future. For many

years we have run a successful work

experience programme which gives

students the opportunity to gain

an insight into the workings of a

barristers’ chambers.

Being a barrister involves hard work,

a willingness to speak confidently

before others and the judgement to

give firm and commercially sound

recommendations to clients; it isn’t

for everyone. However, nobody is

expected to have all of these skills

on day one. We look for potential,

and the ability to learn quickly from

experience.

The modern barrister must also be

skilled in business development. This

is something we recognise as key to

career development, and we have

systems in place to train and nurture

barristers in making high quality

contacts and building up a bank of

good clients. We therefore support

our barristers, but they must also

be ‘self-starters’, willing to seize the

opportunities that come their way

and build on them. You run your own

business but you are better when

you have a great team helping and

collaborating with you!

Improving equality and diversity at

the Bar is a profession-wide priority,

and we consider it vital to be at the

forefront of that important process.

We have a strong belief that anybody

with the necessary ability should

have a fair chance at fulfilling their

potential and joining what is a very

exciting profession. We really would

encourage anyone thinking about

making an application, who has the

ability and drive to succeed, to do so.

A leading set specialising in

commercial, construction, insurance

and property law

+44 (0)20 7242 2523

https://gatehouselaw.co.uk

107

108

What measurements are

Hogan Lovells undertaking

to encourage a more diverse

workforce?

Hogan Lovells were one of the first

law firms to publish gender targets

for women partners and in senior

leadership positions in 2012. We had

29% women partners in the UK in

January 2020 and 30% of women

in senior management positions –

we achieved this globally in 2017

and have maintained progression

with women comprising 35% of

these positions as at 1 January 2020.

We have set targets for 15% ethnic

minorities and 4% LGBT+ partners

which represent the firm’s ambition

to achieve more diversity in the

partnership.

What would you want to say

to BAME candidates looking

at early careers in the legal

profession?

Research different law firms, areas

of law, and the recent transactions

a firm has worked on. Attend firm

specific events, ask representatives

about their roles and network with

the graduate recruitment team to

find out what the firm’s looking for

in its future trainees.

Get involved at university – your

extracurriculars and interests make

you stand out when completing

applications, so take the initiative!

The benefit of the current pandemic

is the increased number of virtual

interactions offered by firms. The

Hogan Lovells’ virtual internship

includes five trainee level tasks

taking you through the life cycle

of a deal including an international

secondment and a pro bono task

with a social enterprise client.

https://www.theforage.com/

virtual-internships/prototype/

PHfPrCtntYfr9gpm4/Hogan-Lovells-

Virtual-Experience-Programme

Hogan Lovells also uses Vantage

(www.vantageapp.io), Rare’s online

legal recruitment platform to

search for candidates from underrepresented

groups and universities.

We also participate in webinars and

events helping us to broaden the

pool from which we recruit.

How do you make sure your

junior employees have a fair

chance of progression within

your firm?

We’re a signatory to the Race

Fairness Commitment, a data-driven

charter focused on the recruitment

and progression of black, ethnic

minority and white employees. With

commitments to training, monitoring

and mentorship we identify areas for

improvement within the firm’s culture

and hierarchy for ethnic minority

colleagues. We regularly analyse

data from recruitment to senior

promotion, to identify and address

points where ethnic minority talent is

unfairly falling behind their peers.

We provide a structured training

programme for all trainees including

sessions to develop technical and

interpersonal skills. Our trainees

are assigned a partner mentor and

formal appraisals take place every

three and six months in each seat

during the training contract.

We have a structured Newly

Qualified Associate recruitment

process – roles are advertised, an

external consultant delivers interview

preparation sessions for the trainees,

structured interview or assessments

take place, a moderation review

panel is in place for all candidates

with offers for Newly Qualified roles

extended on the same day.

Could you tell me more about

your Ladder to Law programme

including the background and

how effective it is in selecting

a diverse group of students?

Ladder to Law is a two-year

programme run by Rare and Hogan

Lovells for Year 12 and 13 students

interested in commercial law.

Participants develop their public

speaking and commercial awareness

skills, receive support with university

applications including subject and

university choices, admissions tests

and interview preparation, are

assigned a Hogan Lovells mentor

and learn from trainees about their

work and career paths.

Participants complete a weeklong

work experience placement,

and for the first time, students in

the upcoming cohort will receive

coaching from Rare to help them

secure first-year opportunities at

the firm.

We accept applications from Year

12 students at schools and colleges

across the UK. From 2021, the

programme will undergo a transition

with an increased focus on Black

students. During the transition, the

programme will maintain existing

links with the Ladder to Law Partner

Schools.

We ensure a diverse selection

of students by using the Rare

Contextual Recruitment System

(CRS) software. We can put a

student’s GCSE grades into context

when reviewing their application by

seeing if they’ve attended a low or

high-performing school, if they’ve

received free school meals, been

in local authority care or been a

refugee. This information allows us

to select diverse, high-performing

and highly motivated students to

join Ladder to Law and our early

talent pipeline programmes.

Could you tell me more about

other initiatives you are

involved in which feed into the

BAME recruitment pipeline at

Hogan Lovells?

Ladder to Law students maintain

their contact with Hogan Lovells and

receive intensive coaching to help

with applications and interviews

for vacation schemes and training

contracts. They can also join lawfocused

programmes for university

students such as Rare Foundations

Law, Discuss, a programme for

students from lower socio-economic

backgrounds who are interested

in commercial law, and Articles,

a programme targeted at ethnic

minority students.

Hogan Lovells has a long standing

partnership with The Sutton Trust

on the Pathways to Law and Plus

programmes for secondary school

and university students from ethnic

minority and lower socio-economic

backgrounds. These programmes

include work experience at the

firm incorporating work shadowing

with trainees and lawyers and

practical skills sessions to help

develop commercial awareness,

an understanding of commercial

law and Hogan Lovells.

109

MATRIX CHAMBERS

WE ACT ON WHAT MATTERS

Matrix is a barristers’ chambers located in London, Geneva and

Brussels. We are a group of independent and specialist lawyers

with expertise in over 29 international and domestic areas of

law including areas related to arbitration, commercial law, crime,

employment, media, public law and public international law.

What makes Matrix a great

place to work?

Being at Matrix means working

with barristers who practise at the

cutting edge in a diverse range

of areas of law. Members have a

genuine commitment to a public

service ethos and value publicly

funded work, public interest

litigation and pro-bono work in

equal esteem with private client

work. We are a community who see

each other as colleagues without

the hierarchy traditionally in place at

the Bar. Our people are encouraged

to pursue what interests them and

are supported in achieving their

career goals.

Why is diversity and inclusion

so important at Matrix?

Promoting equality and inclusion

is one of the core values that guides

how we work from day to day. We

believe advocating for an inclusive

workplace benefits our members,

trainees, staff and clients, and teams

are measurably more creative,

productive, and innovative when

made up of a diverse range of people.

How does that work in practice?

We aim to achieve a diverse and

inclusive workplace though a

range of initiatives and positive

action, managed by a dedicated

Equality and Inclusion Manager.

We hold a Student Open Day which

gives aspiring barristers from all

backgrounds an opportunity to ask

questions and gain insight into a

career at Matrix. On our recruitment

webpage we also include a video

with model answers to four interview

questions to give candidates an idea

of what to expect.

Tell us more about your work

experience programme and

traineeships.

We welcome two GSCE or A-Level

(or equivalent) students every other

week to get a taste of working at

Matrix by watching our barristers

in action in court, meeting our

trainees, and experiencing a busy

office environment. Half of our

work experience placements are

reserved for those from groups that

are underrepresented at the Bar.

Our work experience students can

also apply to our Future Lawyers

scheme which is designed to provide

mentoring and training to young

people from underrepresented

groups who would like to pursue a

career in the legal profession.

Our recruitment process for

traineeships is very transparent;

we mark applications blind against

a publicly available marking scheme.

For more information on the

recruitment process please see our

Traineeship Brochure here.

Do you have any initiatives in

place to tackle the gender gap

that has historically existed in

the legal profession?

Amongst our Junior members,

Matrix is close to achieving gender

parity, however we recognise that

there is still work to be done.

Our initiatives in this area have so

far included gender roundtables,

a Matrix women’s network, and QC

application information sessions

which women are particularly

encouraged to attend.

In 2019, Matrix signed the Women in

Law Pledge, which is a commitment

to taking positive steps to make the

Bar a more welcoming place in which

women are encouraged to thrive.

Could you elaborate on what

the LGBT+ Network, FreeBar

(freebar.co.uk), does to

promote members of the LGBT+

community at the Bar?

Matrix is proud to be a founding

member of FreeBar and of the work

that it has done to date. “FreeBar

will soon be launching the Visibility

Project, which will profile members

of the LGBT+ community at the Bar,

present their experiences and show

how the Bar is a welcoming and

inclusive place for LGBT+ people.

FreeBar also puts on best practice

events to improve LGBT+ inclusion

at organisations, and has created the

FreeBar Charter, which outlines best

practice guidance for organisations

on LGBT+ inclusion.

How does Matrix go the extra

mile to level the playing field

for disabled members, trainees

and staff?

Matrix offers reasonable adjustments

at every stage of the recruitment

process. There is a guaranteed

interview scheme for disabled

people, details of which can be found

on the application form. We also

offer reasonable adjustments once

people enter the organisation and we

are keen to facilitate flexible working.

www.matrixlaw.co.uk

110

THE SOCIETY OF ASIAN LAWYERS

PROMOTING THE LEGAL PROFESSION

WITHIN THE ASIAN COMMUNITY

SAL is a democratically run, not-for-profit organisation, formed circa 1990, representing the interests

of UK Asian lawyers. With over 2,000 members, it is one of the UK’s largest BAME lawyers’ societies.

Members encompass a cross section of the legal world and include partners in high profile city firms,

leading barristers and QCs, in-house lawyers, high street solicitors, legal executives, trainees, pupil

barristers, students and employees in legal organisations.

SAL’s aims and objectives are to:

Promote the legal profession within the UK Asian community;

Support, develop and encourage legal career aspirations of Asians to enhance diversity and

equality of opportunity within the profession and the Judiciary;

Represent member interests to Government, the Judiciary, the Law Society, the Bar, ILEX, their

associated regulatory bodies, and other law related organisations;

Increase awareness about legal and social issues that interest and affect Asians; and

Arrange members’ events to exchange ideas, network and socialise.

OUR WORK

Recently, SAL was part of the

Solicitors Qualification Examination

focus group that helped shape the

new solicitors’ super exam that will

come into force in September 2021.

SAL sits on The Law Society’s

Criminal Legal Aid Practitioners’

Group as well as the Ministry of

Justice’s Criminal Legal Aid Review

Programme Board contributing

to the vital work done in the area

of criminal legal aid which is in a

perpetual state of underfunding.

We also have representation on

The Law Society’s Ethnic Minority

Lawyers’ Division Committee which

works hard to improve diversity and

inclusion in the solicitors’ profession.

Ten years ago, SAL co-founded

the Diversity and Inclusion Charter

with The Law Society. The Charter

is a public commitment by legal

practices to promote the values of

diversity and inclusion throughout

their business. This is achieved by

helping practices with positive and

practical action for their businesses,

staff and clients.

SAL also runs a full programme

of events throughout the year

including educational seminars and

networking events. To celebrate

International Women’s Day in

March, we focus on championing

and celebrating female lawyers who

have risen through their profession.

Previous guest speakers include

The Hon. Mrs. Justice Cheema-

Grubb (first Asian Woman to serve

as a High Court Judge in the UK),

Mrs. Jaswant Narwal (Chief Crown

Prosecutor, Thames and Chiltern),

Aswini Weeraratne QC (Barrister,

111

Mediator and part-time Judge) and

Rehana Popal (first Afghan national

to be called to the Bar and only

female Afghan Barrister currently

practising in England and Wales).

SAL continues to liaise with key

stakeholders on the issue of race in

the legal profession and supported

the Race to the Top event held in

Leeds by the SRA which highlighted

barriers and how to work smarter

to break glass ceilings. On the

specific issue of racial prejudice,

SAL is currently working with

HM Courts and Tribunals Service

(HMCTS) as they seek to address

prejudices coming to light following

recent cases when HMCTS staff

have mistaken black barristers as

criminal Defendants (a problem

that has also been faced by 33%

of members polled).

SAL regularly liaises with the

Judicial Appointments Commission

(JAC) and ran a series of events

in 2017-2018 called Diversity and

the Judiciary. These events were

designed to encourage and inspire

Asians to consider judicial posts.

An official from the JAC provided

guidance on making applications

stand out and what the JAC is

looking for in a candidate.

The JAC reported an increase in

applications from BAME applicants

as a result of this and other outreach

initiatives. However, only 7% of

Judges are from BAME backgrounds

and much more work needs to be

done. Achieving diversity in the legal

profession is a continuing process

that will take time, but together we

can make a difference.

SAL has members from all parts

of England and Wales and this

particular event was repeated

in key legal hubs around the

country including Birmingham and

Manchester. Currently, the events

programme is online so you can join

us from anywhere.

In recent years, there has been an

improvement in statistics for BAME

lawyers entering the profession,

but there remains a dramatic drop

in the number of female barristers

beyond 15 years in practice and

very few female solicitor-advocates

and barristers apply to be Queen’s

Counsel. Similarly, few make

applications to become partners

in City law firms. Sadly, when one

delves deeper into ethnicity at the

top of the profession, the statistics

make for miserable reading.

“Achieving diversity

in the profession is

a continuing process

that will take time,

but together we can

make a difference”

Things are however changing; in

2019 (100 years since women were

allowed to practice as solicitors or

barristers) several magic circle and

silver circle law firms announced

they would aim to surpass the 100

female partners threshold and a

considerable number are well on

their way to achieving this, some

have already done so.

We want to encourage members to

reach new heights. Through events

like Becoming Silk, we showcased

the near mythical creature that is

an Asian female QC. There are less

than 30 female Asian QCs in the

country! Barrister, Sonali Naik QC

of Garden Court Chambers and

Solicitor-Advocate Sophie Lamb QC

of Latham Watkins LLP guided us on

how they planned their applications

years before actually applying.

Russell Wallman, former CEO of

the Queen’s Counsel Appointments

Commission enlightened us on the

interview process.

When you think of working as a

lawyer in England & Wales, some of

you will think about which regional

area you want to work in, others will

think about how to leverage their

diverse heritage and international

perspective. For example, there are

plenty of foreign law firms in London

and opportunities for solicitors at

big firms to be seconded to sunnier

climes, like the USA, Dubai and

Singapore. If this is the area of work

112

you wish to work in, our advice

is think big, think global. SAL’s

event about Developing Your Legal

Career Internationally highlighted

the different pathways taken by

leading international practitioners to

broaden their caseload.

SAL has also been leading the

debate on Prevent by hosting events

in London and Birmingham. The

topic of debate looked into how well

the Government’s counter-terrorism

strategy was working and if there

was room for improvement. Panelists

and attendees included leading

commentators on the topic and

lawyers from across the profession.

Have a look at our website to read

more about our events programme

and some of the key themes

and tips that might help you in

planning your future career. We

regularly feature guest blogs on

our website and so you may want

to consider writing for us as well. It

is a great way to get your views on

substantive legal topics published.

The calibre of speakers at SAL

events reflects the respect the

Association has garnered among

senior practitioners. We love to hear

from our members about events

that they would enjoy, so once you

have become a member, do get in

touch with your suggestions.

MENTORING

SAL runs a successful mentoring

scheme for all members at all

stages of their careers. The scheme

is particularly popular with our

junior members. Reaching out to

someone who is willing and able to

mentor you is paramount not just

at the beginning but at every step

of your career. Applications to the

mentoring scheme start in March

every year, so look out for this.

STUDENTS

SAL holds an annual student event

giving a valuable insight into

different career paths in the legal

profession. SAL is currently working

with City University Law School

and has co-hosted a series of panel

events for their students at the

beginning of this academic year

tackling topics such as barriers to

the legal profession, how to carve

out a successful legal career and

alternative careers in the profession.

2020 was a difficult year for

everyone and SAL has had to adapt

to how it operates with all events

moving online. With the news of

the vaccines, SAL hopes to see its

members soon and in any event by

the time it hosts its flagship event,

the Asian Legal Awards on 16th

October 2021 at The Royal Lancaster

Hotel. The global pandemic meant

that, regrettably, the 2020 Awards

had to be cancelled.

The Awards are a vital part of the

legal calendar which enters its 26th

year. Legal professionals from the

Asian community are recognised,

championed and celebrated for

excelling in their chosen fields.

Corporate sponsors for this event in

the past have included the Solicitors

Regulation Authority, Crown

Prosecution Service and LexisNexis

as well as many regional firms.

Keynote speakers have included

the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan,

the then Vice-President of the Law

Society, Robert Bourns, Board

Member of the Solicitors Regulation

Authority, David Heath and The

Director of Public Prosecutions,

Max Hill QC.

HOW TO JOIN

Hopefully you will agree that there

are many benefits to becoming a

member of SAL. Membership to SAL

is free. You can sign up by visiting

www.societyofasianlawyers.co.uk

and clicking on the ‘membership’

tab. Everybody is welcome to join

– you do not need to be Asian.

Non-practitioners such as law

tutors and legal researchers are

also welcome. We look forward to

welcoming you as a member.

STAY CONNECTED

www.societyofasianlawyers.co.uk

secretary@societyofasianlawyers.co.uk

@socasianlawyers

Society of Asian Lawyers Limited

Society of Asian Lawyers

113

The Most Innovative Law Firm in Europe

A A responsible

choice choice

A

responsible

responsible

choice

choice

What are you currently doing

to encourage an inclusive

and diverse environment at

your firm?

Pinsent Masons is fundamentally

a 'people' business, working hard

to develop and sustain an inclusive

and healthy culture which prioritises

wellbeing and belonging. This

means creating a workplace where

people with different talents,

cultures and outlooks benefit from

working together.

Over the last 12 months we have

featured in the top 12 most inclusive

businesses in Europe in the

Financial Times Diversity Leaders

Report; been ranked as a top five

inclusive employer in Britain for the

fifth consecutive year by Stonewall

in its Workplace Equality Index 2020;

been recognised as a Disability

Confident employer; ranked as a

Times Top 50 Employer for Women;

and as a Top 10 Employer for

Working Families.

We believe that embedding a culture

in which all our employees feel

empowered to bring their whole

selves to work requires ongoing

commitment and the continuous

implementation of transformational

steps to promote progress.

How do you create a work

environment that supports

health and wellbeing for all in

one of the largest law firms?

We are committed to ending the

stigma around mental health and

promoting good mental health and

well being across the business. We

have developed a Mental Health

Plan; our Disability and Wellbeing

Network continues to go from

114

strength to strength; and we have

a growing team of over 300 Mental

Health Champions.

A wide range of wellbeing, resilience

and mental health awareness

training is also available to all staff.

Over 36% of colleagues joined

sessions as part of our annual

Wellbeing Month and our response

to the global pandemic.

We are proud to be a co-founder of

The Mindful Business Charter (MBC),

a bilateral collaboration between

service providers and clients,

based on four pillars; openness and

respect, smart meetings and emails,

respecting rest periods and mindful

delegation.

By identifying and tackling the

root causes of unnecessary stress,

the MBC is able to promote better

mental health and wellbeing,

re-establishing some of the

boundaries between our personal

and professional lives. The MBC has

helped move the dial in respect of

attitudes towards mental health and

wellbeing in businesses and reducing

avoidable stress.

You have made a film – 'Talk

about Race' – providing an

insight into some barriers your

own colleagues have faced.

Tell us why you made the film.

In early 2018, we formally launched

Sun in our UK, Middle East and

Australia offices. Sun identifies the

barriers to recruitment and career

progression which may be faced

by people due to their race, colour

or ethnicity. Sun aims to create a

better balance of race and ethnicity

within our workforce and a better

workplace for all.

Following an extensive consultation

carried out by D&I consultants,

Brook Graham, we identified a

series of recommendations to be

implemented across the firm as part

of Sun including the development of

our 'We Need to Keep Talking About

Race' programme which focuses

on upskilling people to better

understand the different diversity

dimensions in play across our global

business.

A significant theme that emerged

from that consultation was that

there seemed to be a silence around

race and ethnicity in the legal sector.

Some felt that this was due to a

lack of confidence around how to

talk about race, and others were

unsure of the language to use. Many

said that myths and stereotypes

continued to exist which had the

effect of stifling progress. As a

result, we created ‘Talk about Race’

using some of the quotes that

were gathered during consultation,

along with other widely recognised

themes from the legal sector.

Additional actions include Reciprocal

Mentoring, Group Mentoring and

Real Role Model programmes.

In 2020 we launched a supporting

film, 'Talk About Race', to debunk

the myths and stereotypes around

race. Since launching the film,

membership of our FREE (Faith,

Race, Ethnicity and Equality)

network has increased by 44%.

Our work in this area continues

and is led by our Sun Delivery Board.

Our stance on racial injustice is

clear. There is simply no room for

racism or prejudice, and we are

committed to creating inclusion,

respect and a place where

differences are valued.

How does your firm ensure that

employees affiliated with the

LGBT+ community feel included

and valued in the work culture?

Our LGBT+ inclusion journey

began in 2007 with the inception

of our LGB Group, now our LGBT+

Network. We began a campaign to

raise awareness of the importance of

LGB inclusion in the workplace and

the network went from strength to

strength in that first year. Our first

entry into the Stonewall Workplace

Equality Index was in 2008, we were

the first law firm to make the top

100 and we were recognised as

Most Improved Employer.

We have continued to be a high

performer in the Stonewall WEI

Top 100 Employers list, and in 2019

we won Employer of the Year. We

have continued our commitment

to inclusivity with the launch of a

number of initiatives such as staff

training focused on gender identity

and expression ensuring the firm is

an inclusive environment for trans

colleagues and clients. This year

marks our 13th on the index, we

ranked 4th overall, recognised as

top law firm once again.

Our active LGBT+ and allies

employee network group has a clear

focus on intersectionality and offers

a range of support and mentoring.

How does your initiative, Sky

work in order to allow young

women to develop successful

careers? How does it engage

with male employees to raise

awareness?

The proportion of women entering

the legal profession is increasing.

However that gender balance is not

reflected in the partnership or the

senior leadership teams of most

firms. We recognise that we need to

ensure that our female colleagues

are properly supported to achieve

their full potential.

We are working hard to identify

and remove the invisible barriers

to recruitment, retention and

progression that can hinder talent

from progressing at Pinsent Masons.

We have been acknowledged for

our work on increasing transparency

around career progression for

women and implementing initiatives

to promote gender balance across

the business through Sky.

Sky works to enable women of

all ages to develop and nurture

successful careers. We have

established different groups and

initiatives to adopt a strategic and

comprehensive approach to this

across our firm. These include:

Establishment of senior groups

including our Sky Steering Group,

Nominations Committee and 'Issues

in Management' group. Collectively,

these groups facilitate discussions

about gender balance in senior

roles whilst ensuring a strategic

and transparent approach to senior

appointments and addressing any

other gender-related issues;

Creation of a new Global Inclusion

Strategy Group (GISG) with gender

balance as one of the key themes;

Introduction of reciprocal

mentoring programme between

senior male and junior female

colleagues to share perspectives;

Requesting gender-balanced

shortlists as part of our external

recruitment processes and internal

promotion processes;

Programme of inclusive behaviour

training which tackles unconscious

bias; and

A series of workshops supporting

women in their careers pathways

while also engaging male colleague.

Sky is backed by our Female Futures

(FF) networking group, which

focuses on the importance of gender

balance with the objective of making

the firm a great place for women to

work at all levels. It does this by:

Providing a valuable support

network and a great forum to meet

and interact with colleagues from a

range of backgrounds;

Hosting a number of events, which

includes training and presentations

from inspirational business leaders,

along with networking events

tailored to each office;

Providing information, advice,

support mentoring and business

development;

Acting as representatives of

colleagues and playing an important

role in the development of the firm’s

policies and initiatives which have a

particular gender focus.

Going forward, we will ensure

maximum connectivity between

GISG, Sky and Female Futures

to encourage a truly joined up

approach to gender balance.

From an external perspective and

with a view to the future of the legal

profession, one of the many ways we

encourage young women to develop

successful careers is by partnering

with the Girls Out Loud Foundation

in Manchester, through participation

in the Big Sister Programme. The

Big Sister programme complements

our existing schools mentoring

programme but involves more

in depth one-to-one interaction

targeted at girls (Little Sisters) who

are at most risk of failing to meet

their potential. The programme has

already seen visible positive impact:

100% confidence improvement

in girls; 90% of girls on target to

achieve 3 levels of improvement

with regard to attainment; and over

90% of girls setting their sights on

further education or some form of

vocational training.

How does your FREE network

tackle the imbalance of minority

ethnic group representation in

the law sector?

We believe that further developing

our diverse workforce will make

us an even more successful

international law firm by drawing

on different perspectives and

experiences to address our

clients’ issues. We know the

balance of minority ethnic group

representation; particularly at senior

levels is a key challenge for most

large law firms. Our FREE Network

and Sun are critical for us in tackling

the structural inequities that exist in

the legal profession. FREE provides

all colleagues an opportunity to

share experiences, helps to raise

awareness of issues faced by ethnic

minorities, gives people the tools to

address those issues and promotes a

more inclusive working environment.

We believe true innovation can

only happen when we nurture a

diverse team in which everyone

is empowered to contribute to

success. If our values resonate with

you, we want to hear from you.

https://www.pinsentmasons.com

115

STRIKINGLY

REAL

SMART

DYNAMIC

HARDWORKING

THESPIAN*

@LifeinaLawFirm

strikinglyreal@rpc.co.uk

ADVISORY | DISPUTES | REGULATORY | TRANSACTIONS

116

BECOMING

A BARRISTER

Nancy Williams, Barrister and Social Mobility Advocate

for the Bar Council, talks about her experiences at the Bar

Do you want a career at the Bar? Check out this brochure on the bar council

website to guide you on the steps you need to take:

https://www.barcouncil.org.uk/resource/becoming-a-barrister-2019.html

Tell us about your background and why you decided to

become a barrister.

I was born in Sierra Leone and arrived in the UK on my first

birthday. I attended a comprehensive secondary school and local

sixth form college. My father became an Immigration Adviser

as a result of the challenges he faced finding good quality legal

representation for our family whilst we were regularising our

immigration status in the UK.

I witnessed first-hand the immense gratitude of my father’s

clients for his work and the life-changing effect of the law, as it

provided individuals with the opportunity for a fresh start after

experiencing suffering in their countries of origin. This instilled

within me the desire to become a lawyer at a very young age.

Did you face any obstacles along your journey to

becoming a barrister and how did you overcome them?

I studied law at a predominantly white middle-class red-brick

university. This was a culture shock for me. I was a minority

on my course and in my hall of residence. I remember vividly

a black male in my hall alerting me to the fact that I was

the only black woman. I was different to everybody else

in terms of my race and socio-economic background.

I initially wanted to hide that difference then I realised

that my difference was important and should be

highlighted.

Ultimately, the biggest obstacle that I faced was

financial. I did not have the means to afford the

training required to become a barrister. Fortunately,

I received a scholarship from my Inn which assisted

with paying for the BPTC.

What opportunities, support and

encouragement did you receive along your

journey to becoming a barrister?

My Inn offered an interview coaching scheme for

aspiring barristers. I have remained in contact

with the barrister that conducted my mock

interview, he has supported me through

the application process by reading my

applications and offering advice. Before

becoming a barrister, I worked as a paralegal

117

for 2.5 years at a leading human

rights firm. In this position, I had

the opportunity to work closely

with barristers and develop a good

working relationship with some of

them. I used these relationships to

assist with the pupillage process

by requesting mock interviews and

review of my pupillage applications.

What is the most rewarding

thing about being a barrister?

I have a common law practice

which encompasses family and

criminal law. At times, I act for very

vulnerable clients. I am glad that I

am able to assist them by using the

law to try to make their lives better.

What are the challenges facing

today’s aspiring barristers, and

how can they be addressed?

The biggest challenge is the fierce

competition to get pupillage. The

number of graduates from the

various Bar schools outstrips the

number of available pupillages.

There are various sources of

support and information for aspiring

barristers. The primary source of

financial support is the Inns of Court.

The Inns also provide support at

different stages of the journey to

becoming a barrister through open

days, mentoring schemes and mock

pupillage interviews. In addition,

social media is used by many

barristers, legal organisations and

chambers. It is an excellent tool for

self-promotion, building a network

and getting exposure to different

opportunities and will certainly help

provide a competitive edge if used

effectively.


to someone from an underrepresented

background,

seeking to succeed at the Bar?

Do not be afraid to share or highlight

what makes you different. In a sea of

excellent candidates, your difference

is what will help you stand out. Don’t

be afraid to tell your story!

GETTING TO THE BAR: NETWORKS AND SUPPORT

FOR ALL APPLICANTS:

The Inns, Circuits, and Specialist Bar Associations provide

a wide range of assistance programmes including mentoring.

You can find out more about these organisations here.

Cake & Counsel: Peer-based networking and support group

for aspiring lawyers. Follow @cakeandcounsel, on Facebook,

or Linkedin.

Bridging the Bar: Working to increase diversity at the Bar.

Offers mini-pupillage opportunities, mentoring and support.

Mental health support services are also available, for example,

Wellbeing at the Bar with sections which provide advice and

assistance to pupils and students who have completed the

BPTC and maybe struggling to secure pupillage etc.

FOR APPLICANTS FROM A BLACK ASIAN

OR ETHNIC MINORITY BACKGROUND:

BME legal: Offers an Intensive Support Programme for those

from African-Caribbean and/or low-socio economic backgrounds.

Participants on the ISP receive a mentor, five professional

workshops, mock interviews and proof-reading of application

forms. Follow @BME_Legal and connect on LinkedIn.

BME at the Bar: Events and initiatives to improve diversity

and career progression at the Bar, signposting and information

sharing between allied networks.

Contact: info.bmeatthebar@gmail.com

Bar None: Bar None has just been launched by the Western

Circuit to increase BAME representation at the Bar.

Email barnone@westerncircuit.co.uk if interested.

Black Barristers Network: Promoting the growth of black

barristers through support, visibility and community outreach.

Follow @BBN_Tweets

Society of Asian Lawyers: Networking, events, and community.

Black Men in Law: Connection and support for Black men in

the legal profession. Follow: @BMLnetwork

Black Women in Law: Connecting Black women in the legal

profession: barristers, judges, solicitors, paralegals and law

students.

FOR APPLICANTS WITH A DISABILITY:

Disability panel: The Panel promotes disability access

throughout the profession, develops guidance for practitioners

and offers advice to law students and barristers. Contact here.

Association of Disabled Lawyers: the association for

disabled lawyers and lawyers with mental and/or physical health

conditions. This includes anyone studying or practicing law.

Website here. Follow: @disabledlawyers.

Contact: admin@disabledlawyers.co.uk

Legally Disabled: research investigating the negative and

positive experiences, choices and views of qualified disabled

people working or seeking to work in the legal profession.

Website here.

FOR LGBTQ + APPLICANTS:

FreeBar: Promoting LGBT+ equality & inclusion across the Bar

FOR NEURODIVERSE APPLICANTS:

Neurodiversity in Law: Newly founded to promote and support

neurodiversity within the legal sector and to eliminate stigma.

Follow: @ndin_law, Insta: ndin_law

Email: info@neurodiversityinlaw.co.uk

FOR WOMEN:

Women in the law UK: Events, professional development, and

community for women in the legal profession, with a focus on

careers, wellbeing, and networking. They aim to inspire, support

and connect future leaders in law.

Association of Women Barristers: Offers mentoring, events

and support for women barristers, and aspiring barristers.

Women in Criminal Law: Networking organisation helping

women from all different parts of the profession get to know and

support each other – solicitors, paralegals, pupils, barristers and

judges, prosecution and defence, private and publicly funded.

WICL Runs a race equality committee specifically for Black and

minority ethnic women Follow @womenincrimlaw, LinkedIn or

email: womenincrimlaw@gmail.com

118

10

TOP TIPS for

working from home

Here are my personal tips on successfully working from home.

By Ayaz Saboor, Solicitor at DWF

TIP 1 –

Workspace

This is by far

one of the

most important pieces of advice I

could give you. Whilst it is easier said

than done, it is extremely important

to set up a dedicated space where

you will work from. Get yourself a

space in your house where you can

have a desk and a chair that will

allow you to work comfortably.

It is important to still keep your work

and personal life quite separate.

Having a dedicated workspace will

assist in doing this.

TIP 2 – Daily routine

It is paramount for your mental wellbeing

and your overall productivity

to maintain a morning routine. Wake

up every day at the same time, get

yourself dressed and ready, take

a walk or read a book and then

prepare your workstation for the day

ahead. As humans, we are creatures

of habit.

TIP 3 – Regular breaks

There are instances in everyday

office life, where you will naturally

take breaks without even realising.

However, at home, you almost feel

guilty for taking a break as you

‘should’ always be working.

You should still take a break. If that

means making a coffee and catching

up on the news for a few minutes,

then do it. It could mean calling up a

colleague to just have a chat about

any weekend plans etc.

TIP 4 – Speak to your colleagues

Not being in the office means I miss

not getting to speak to the great

people I work with. Naturally, you

spend a lot of time in the office and

you meet some great people with

whom you form good relationships.

Whilst working remotely makes

this harder, it shouldn’t make it

impossible.

When you start in a new team it is up

to you to forge those relationships

with your colleagues. When you are

taking your break, you should try

and schedule the same time as a

colleague so you could maybe just

have a chat and a catch up.

TIP 5 – Socialise

Dare I say it? Pub quiz. I think it is

imperative to arrange and attend

socials. Of course, working remotely

may be the future, however,

lockdown won’t be forever. In fact,

at the time of publication (hopefully)

we will be out of lockdown. Work is

such a big part of all our lives and

our careers are what we have worked

so hard to achieve – it is important

we embrace every inch of it.

TIP 6 – Switch off

I must stress that the tips I am

outlining are not in any order of

importance. If they were ranked, I

would place this tip nearer to the top.

Remember the dynamic of working

from the office. If you are lucky, you

would leave at around 6/7 and then

go home and enjoy your evening

with friends and family and not think

about work until the next morning.

The importance of switching off

from work is still necessary. My tip

here would be that at the end of

the day, switch off all of your work

electronics and put them away until

the next morning.

TIP 7 – Have a weekend

Your weekend is yours and I advise

you keep it that way. Try your best

not to blur the lines between home

and work life. If your workload

allows, do not work the weekend.

If in the normal course of your

role, you would be working on the

weekend because of a deal or busy

period, then of course, I suggest you

do the same from home.

TIP 8 – Communicate up

Part of building relationships and

trust with the people you work with

is by communicating. Starting a

new role can be difficult when you

are in the office. Starting a new

role and working from home is a

whole other kettle of fish. One thing

I have learned is to speak to your

supervisor a lot. Have regular catch

ups to discuss your workload. But

also use that time to get to know

one another on a more informal level,

again, as you would in an office.

My most important piece of advice

here would be to ask questions

about the work and subject matter

of your role so that you get a

rounded understanding.

TIP 9 – Exercise

Incorporating exercise into our daily

routine is paramount to a healthy and

productive mind-set. If your exercise

is going to the gym, then go and do

that. Similarly, get out at lunch time

with some lunch and go for a walk.

TIP 10 – Get camera ready

Getting ready for work as usual is

also something that I have found

useful. If you stick your camera on,

you will find that you can build those

relationships that I have spoken

about earlier. Not only that, you will

just generally feel better in yourself

rather than being in the pyjamas that

you have worn for the last week (!)

For more information about DWF’s

graduate opportunities please visit:

https://dwfgroup.com/en/

careers/graduate-recruitment

Bringing your

true self to work

Cultivating an environment at Sidley where

every person can be the most genuine version

of themselves is integral to the quality of legal

services we provide to our global client base.

For more information about careers, email GraduateRecruitment@Sidley.com

Sidley Austin LLP is a premier law

firm with a practice highly attuned

to the ever changing international

landscape. We have a reputation

for working on innovative, complex

transactions which makes a career

with us interesting and challenging.

Sidley maintains a commitment

to providing quality legal services

and to offering advice in litigation,

transactional and regulatory matters

spanning virtually every area of

law. The firm’s lawyers have widereaching

legal backgrounds and are

dedicated to teamwork, collaboration

and superior client service.

Here you will find high-quality work

on par with Magic Circle firms and

an energetic, meritocratic and

supportive environment.

What does Diversity, Equity &

Inclusion mean to Sidley?

Diversity, equity & inclusion at

Sidley is recognised as essential to

our everyday business and is driven

from the most senior levels of the

firm. Our diverse workforce allows

us to cultivate a culture where

lawyers bring their full selves to

work and in doing so bring unique

perspectives which means better

work for our clients.

We have two global committees, the

D&I Committee and the Committee

for the Retention and Promotion

of Women, both of which focus on

pursuing strategies that maximise

the firm’s success in attracting and

promoting lawyers from groups

typically underrepresented in the

legal profession. Both committees

have a direct line of communication

to our Management Committee

and our Executive Committee. This

means that all voices are heard by

the people who make decisions

about how the firm is run.

“As a female ethnic

minority lawyer,

inclusion at work

is exceptionally

important to me.

To my mind, Sidley

gets it right. We

celebrate those

different cultures and

experiences that we

all bring to the table

and I have always

felt like I fit in.”

Raveena Ubhi

“Sidley have created

an environment that

respects different

cultures and

backgrounds to allow

everyone to feel

safe and included.

As an Asian Muslim,

this is something

I have very much

appreciated and am

glad to be a part of.”

Khalid Hayat

What do you do to ensure you

are effectively recruiting a

diverse group of candidates?

At Sidley, we understand that

diversity is a strength. Talent is not

dependent on background and

we work to ensure that we access

a broad range of candidates and

assess them equitably. We invest in

a number of initiatives to make sure

our recruitment is fair for all. Our

partnership with Rare Recruitment

and its Contextual Recruitment

System (CRS) allows us to gather

a fuller picture of any application

which helps remove barriers for

candidates from less advantaged

backgrounds. Additionally, we work

with Bright Network to ensure that

we reach a broad range of diverse

candidates. Almost 70% of Bright

Network students who interviewed

with us were offered a place on our

2021 vacation scheme.

How essential is a culture of

equity and inclusion to retaining

and promoting diverse talent?

Recruiting top talent is essential to

our business. In order to nurture

that talent we make sure everyone

feels comfortable bringing their full

self to work. We work to ensure that

all our lawyers irrespective of their

background are provided with the

same opportunities for development

and success. However, we pay

particular attention to ensure that

diverse lawyers receive work of an

appropriate quality and quantity,

are efficiently mentored by more

senior lawyers, are considered fairly

for promotion and advancement

and are compensated and rewarded

appropriately.

Attorney Advertising - Sidley Austin LLP, One South Dearborn, Chicago, IL 60603, +1 312 853 7000. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

120

THE 3 THINGS

I WISH I COULD

HAVE TOLD MY

YOUNGER SELF

As a novelist and lawyer, I don’t have much time to reflect, but recently at an interview

about my latest novel To Lahore with Love by Harvard University Students as part of

a book club, I was asked this question. And what a brilliant question it is. Casting my

mind back, I recall my younger days being great fun, but also angst ridden. These are

things I know now that I wish someone had shared with me in my younger days.

Be brave and don’t be afraid

1 to focus on what you love

Life flies by, and our younger self

feels we have years to decide what

we want from life. This leads to

the almost inevitable decision to

do the safe thing now and follow

our dreams and passions later. My

advice; don’t do that. Explore what

draws you, what heightens your

curiosity or what you know you are

passionate about now.

We are privileged to have choices

and opportunities, so don’t throw

such gifts away. I can honestly say

the greatest chance of success

comes from finding and doing what

you love. I feel gifted as I love the

law I practise and it is important to

me that basic human rights whether

you are black, Asian, female, male

etc are not violated. I am also

passionate about story and being

a novelist is a dream come true.

Fiction and story draws me in for

many reasons, but the main one is

that I believe it is the best medium to

express great and profound truths.

2

Don’t try to fit in –

think for yourself

Perhaps the most difficult thing to

discover about yourself are your

prejudices and fears. And we all

have them, whether we are from

a BAME background or not. A

prejudice is after all a prejudgment,

meaning a decision you have made

without considered thought. But

such hidden fears will often make

us conform to the majority view,

even if it isn’t really ours making

it doubly hard to discover who we

are and what we love. Being able

to think for yourself, independently

of the pressure to accept the views

of others around us is part of

becoming uniquely you. And that

uniqueness is what ultimately strikes

a chord with others and leads to

true success.

As the world becomes so digitally

connected via social media and

so physically disconnected due to

viruses and, yes, social media, having

the ability to think for yourself

without fear of how others will see

you is becoming an increasingly

rare treasure. Good news, though,

coming from a BAME background

makes this easier because we’ve

had a certain amount of training

in being different from the crowd

already, so count your blessings.

When I look back on my life, it’s

plain to see how the times I tried to

fit in felt like forcing myself into a

dress that was two sizes too small.

It was uncomfortable and all wrong.

3

Embrace your difference

and don’t stress

Being from a BAME background is

like a secret weapon. Ultimately, we

are all carved from the challenges

we have had to face and let’s face it,

being any kind of minority amongst

a majority presents a challenge.

So consider your difference a kind of

‘super hero’ training and embrace it

whole heartedly. It is a gift. It is only

when we are authentically ourselves

that we discover true joy and peace.

And authenticity is like a halo that

everyone can sense, so my advice is

to embrace it with open arms.

The Telegraph quotes Hina Belitz as being

‘practised in the art of writing deeply moving

prose’. She is a novelist and a lawyer. Her

latest novel is called To Lahore with Love,

recently published by Headline. She practises

law at Partners Employment Lawyers (part of

Excello Law) and is also a committee member

of the Association of Women Solicitors.

121

Mayer Brown offer Training Contracts,

Vacation Schemes and Solicitor

Apprenticeship Programmes to help

undergraduates and graduates kickstart

a career in law. Chloe McIntosh,

a current Trainee Solicitor, talks to us

about the skills and knowledge you’ll

need to succeed at an international

commercial law firm.

LAW

WORTH

TALKING

ABOUT

Chloe McIntosh,

Trainee Solicitor,

Mayer Brown

What in your background made

you opt for a career in the legal

profession?

I am the first person in my family

to attend university and the first

lawyer in the wider family, so I had

not contemplated studying law or

pursuing a legal career before a

teacher suggested it to me. I was

provided with the opportunity to

study law at A-level and absolutely

loved it. I therefore read law at

university and applied to law firms

for training contracts.

Why did you think Mayer Brown

would be a good fit for you?

There were two main reasons I

selected Mayer Brown. Firstly, I

wanted to join a friendly firm and

work in an inclusive environment.

As a ‘mature’ trainee (I started my

training contract when I was 24),

I had worked for multiple companies

before joining the firm, and knew

how important it is to work for a

company where you feel supported

and included, especially as a sociallyimmobile,

ethnically-diverse woman.

From the moment I entered the

office during my vacation scheme in

2017, I immediately felt comfortable

and welcomed by everyone, from

the receptionists to the partners.

122

Secondly, Mayer Brown is a global,

full-service law firm which boasts

an excellent roster of clients. Across

the firm, partners and associates

hold accolades and rankings, such

as from Chambers and Partners. As

a result, during the training contract,

trainees are exposed to high-value,

multi-jurisdictional, interesting work.

What training opportunities

are afforded to trainees at

Mayer Brown?

During the training contract,

trainees are expected to complete

a transactional seat, a litigious seat,

and go on secondment (either

to a client or to an international

office). This ensures that trainees

are exposed to a variety of work

and network with individuals across

the firm and internationally. It also

ensures that trainees are wellrounded

on qualification, with a solid

understanding of how the various

areas of the firm interact to offer

clients an excellent service.

The training is fantastic. During the

training contract trainees rotate

departments, experiencing four

different seats, spending six months

in each. At the beginning of each

seat we are given a tailor-made

training schedule that runs from

4 to 11 weeks, during which you

attend training sessions with

associates, partners, professional

support lawyers (PSL) and the

business services teams. We

learn about the relevant laws and

regulations and are told how to best

support the team. These sessions

improve confidence, provide factual

and legal background and provide

an opportunity to network and meet

people in the group.

Which personal qualities do you

think have stood you in good

stead in your training, and which

do you think the process has

helped you develop?

Perseverance and determination

definitely help! The training contract

is an intensive two-year programme.

Naturally, determined people who

like a challenge are drawn to the

legal profession, but you have to be

willing to persevere with difficult

situations. It is no secret that

commercial solicitors, like many

professionals, often work long

hours. This can be demanding,

especially when you are new to

the profession (as trainees often

are), however those who are

determined and persevere in difficult

situations often gain the most from

the training contract.

I would also say good organisation

skill are important. Trainees who

are able to keep track of the vast

number of emails and developments

in ongoing matters shine. It is often

said that trainees who can do the

“small things well”, like assisting

with admin tasks such as bundling,

will often be asked to do “bigger

things”, like drafting agreements.

Trainees who manage their personal

workload well and who manage the

expectations of others excel.

How have you and the Firm

coped with the challenges of

remote working during the

COVID pandemic?

Working remotely has presented

challenges and opportunities to us

all. Obviously, it is a shame we are

not in the office and able to enjoy

the complete trainee experience,

but it has been over a year since we

moved to working from home and

this is the new normal!

“I am incredibly

grateful to work

at a firm where I

feel confident and

comfortable asking

for advice and

guidance.”

As trainees at Mayer Brown, we

are still presented with amazing

opportunities to join client calls

and attend proceeding. Also, the

supervision has been fantastic.

Working for a firm as friendly as

Mayer Brown definitely helps.

From the first day, I felt comfortable

emailing or calling associates or

partners to ask for further guidance

or clarification where necessary.

I know from speaking with friends

at other firms that this isn’t always

the case elsewhere. I am incredibly

grateful to work at a firm where I feel

confident and comfortable asking

for advice and guidance.

Mayer Brown’s London office

has a number of internal affinity

networks and resource groups,

including the Fusion Network,

which, among other things,

organises activities for Black

History Month and celebrates

religious and other cultural

events. Have you been able to

take advantage of these?

I am currently co-chair of the

Fusion Network. My fellow chairs

include another third seat trainee, a

partner and a senior manager from

a business services department.

Together with the committee, we

spearhead the Fusion Network,

organise events and initiatives and

work with colleagues in London and

internationally to best represent

our colleagues from diverse ethnic

minority backgrounds. Collectively,

we work to raise awareness and

understanding of the diversity that

exists across the firm and the steps

that we can take to be more inclusive

and supportive. We also work closely

with other networks in the London

office, such as the LGBT+ Network

and the Women’s Network.

We have organised fantastic events

and initiatives thus far! Most recently,

we hosted David Stranger-Jones,

founder of the Equals initiative, to

mark the International Day for the

Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

Mayer Brown has received many

accolades in recognition of their

work on equal opportunities,

and closely monitor these

initiatives. What benefits do

you feel these bring to the work

environment?

Mayer Brown offers a nurturing

and supportive environment that

welcomes all individuals, irrespective

of their background. As a trainee,

I was offered the opportunity to

become actively involved in the

various networks and initiatives

the firm offers. As a result, I now

co-chair the Fusion Network and

I am an active member of the

LGBT+ Network. Sally Davies, the

London managing partner at Mayer

Brown, recently invited me to be

a panellist at an internal event on

the importance of social mobility

and how we can all play a positive

part increasing awareness of social

mobility issues.

The fact that trainees, such as

myself, can become heavily involved

in equal opportunity initiatives is

fantastic. I am incredibly grateful to

work at a firm where my voice and

opinions on such important matters

are welcomed and encouraged.


BAME candidates interested

in applying to premier UK law

firms like Mayer Brown?

Connect with people at the firm

you are interested in applying

to. LinkedIn is an excellent tool

for this! Be polite and use the

opportunity to ask how inclusive

the workplace is and ask questions

about the training contract. Many

applicants are now using LinkedIn

to ask these questions and gain a

better understanding of what it is

really like to work at a particular

firm. It is particularly useful in the

current climate, where open days

and vacation schemes are being

held online. It is also a perfect

opportunity to ask questions which

can aid your application.

Further information on Mayer Brown

International LLP’s programmes,

including Training Contracts, Vacation

Schemes and Solicitor Apprenticeship

Programmes can be found here

(https://www.mayerbrownfutures.

com/europe/programmes/)

123

Alexander Nissen QC

Head of Chambers

Lucy Garrett QC

Head of Pupillage

Abdul Jinadu

Barrister

Wen-Jin Teh

Barrister

Alison Crosland

Chief Operating Officer

BUILD YOUR FUTURE IN THE LEGAL LANDSCAPE

Keating Chambers is a leading commercial set and one

of the two top construction chambers in the UK and

worldwide. The set won The Lawyer’s “Chambers of

the Year” in 2020. In the same year, upon hearing that

some criminal sets had withdrawn pupillage offers due

to the financial impact of COVID-19, Keating pledged

to provide £20,000 towards a withdrawn pupillage and

led a successful campaign to obtain similar pledges

from other commercial sets.

Keating Chambers will be offering up to three 12-month

pupillages commencing in September 2023 (with

an award of £70,000). Applications open in Spring

2022 via the Pupillage Gateway website. Keating

also offer mini-pupillages throughout the academic

year and these will either be ordinary in person 2-day

placements or 1-day virtual mini-pupillages.

For details visit keatingchambers.com/recruitment

You were highly commended in

the category Best Chambers for

Training at the 2021 Legal Cheek

Awards. What makes you stand out

from the crowd?

Lucy Garrett QC: I think it is our

friendliness and desire to help

our pupils succeed which stands

out. Members of chambers have

a permanent open door policy, to

discuss difficult legal questions or

just to have a cup of tea and a chat.

We give regular feedback to our

pupils and provide clear information

as to what to expect over the year.

Have a look at the videos on our

website to get a feel for our cheerful

and informal atmosphere.

What training, advice and support

have you received?

Wen-Jin: Although it was difficult

to undergo pupillage during the

pandemic, chambers went out of its

way to ensure that I was provided

with adequate training and support.

Firstly, while I had full discretion to

124

work from home, an individual room

was provided to me so that I could

continue to work from chambers in

a safe manner. Secondly, a senior

member of chambers was assigned

to be my secondary supervisor so

that I would continue to receive

support in the event that my

supervisor was unavailable or unwell.

These measures were in addition

to the usual training and support

mechanisms that chambers provides.

For example, supervisors are changed

every three months to allow pupils

to experience a range of work at

different levels of seniority. Each pupil

is also assigned a junior member of

chambers to act as a support buddy;

questions or concerns may be raised

to that individual without affecting

the tenancy decision. Finally, after

obtaining tenancy, new members are

assigned two mentors for advice

and support in the first 18 months

of practice.

What does it take to make a

successful barrister?

Alexander Nissen QC: It is very

important to emphasise that they

come in all shapes and sizes. In our

specialist field, the most important

skills of a successful barrister will

include a strong intellectual ability

with a talent in the art of persuasion.

Intellectual ability is not to be

confused with where you went to

school or University. It depends on

your ability to learn and understand

legal concepts and reasoning.

Successful barristers prepare

carefully and in great detail because

cases can be complex and you must

expect the unexpected.

The art of persuasion is needed

both on paper and orally. Winning

is an obvious marker of success.

But on occasions successful

barristers will also need to persuade

their opponents to drop their

expectations or their clients not to

litigate at all. Once again, meticulous

preparation of the arguments

provides the best way to persuade

someone to agree with what you say.

Do you feel there are particular

challenges facing today’s young

barristers, particularly those from

underrepresented backgrounds?

Abdul Jinadu: Access to the

profession is the greatest challenge

faced by young barristers from any

background. These challenges are,

however, particularly acute for young

aspiring barristers from Black and

other minority ethnic backgrounds.

Over the last 20 years the number

of people qualifying as barristers

has increased substantially however

there has not been a similar increase

in the number of pupillages and

tenancies available. In addition, the

areas in which barristers from a

Black background in particular have

been traditionally concentrated (the

criminal and family bar) have all

experienced significant contraction

due to successive governments

seeking to cut the legal aid budget.

Candidates must be encouraged

to look at practice areas outside

of those where concentrations of

Black barristers were traditionally

found and at the commercial bar in

particular. I am glad to say that there

are now a range of schemes which

are seeking to drive this message to

people looking to come to the Bar.

Why is having a diverse workforce

important?

Alison Crosland: For me as COO, a

diverse workforce is important for a

range of reasons. We want to recruit

the best talent. Diverse candidates

bring different skills and experiences

to Keating, and the opportunity

for shared learning. A range of

voices and diversity of thought

gives a wider perspective and help

us provide innovative and creative

approaches to support clients. It also

makes us a more interesting place

to work. Ultimately, diversity across

staff and barristers can make us

better at what we do. An inclusive

team helps Chambers better

understand and better represent the

range of clients with whom we work

in the UK and internationally.

Keating Chambers were founding

partners of Bridging the Bar, a

charity committed to the promotion

of equal opportunities and diversity

within the Bar of England and

Wales. You were also one of the

first five sets of chambers to sign

up to the 10,000 Black Interns

programme, and are heavily

involved with mentoring scheme for

underrepresented groups. Why do

you consider these such a priority

for Keating?

Abdul Jinadu: In my view there are

two principal drivers for the activism

which Keating has shown recently in

the area of diversity:

(i) Firstly, in common with other

commercial organisations who are

making attempts to drive diversity,

Keating is not acting from entirely

altruistic motives. Like such other

organisations it recognises that

the world is changing rapidly. Our

“market” i.e. law firms and their lay

clients now have ESG reporting

requirements which require them to

report and publish data on diversity.

This will increasingly influence

decisions which these organisations

make as to who they instruct to

represent them.

(ii) Secondly, Keating recognises that

if it wants to maintain its position

as market leader it must recruit

the best talent and this means

recruiting from the widest possible

pool of individuals. It means going

out to look for candidates who may

have “non-traditional” backgrounds

but who are more than capable

of establishing a successful career

at the Bar, and, in addition, bring

unique sets of skills based on their

life experience which would make

them excellent barristers.

What initiatives does Keating

Chambers have in place to ensure

it recruits a diverse workforce?

Alexander Nissen QC: We are truly

committed to improving the diversity

of our workforce, both within our

employed staff and in our selection

of mini-pupils, pupils and tenants.

We participate in too many initiatives

to be able to list here (see our

diversity and inclusion page) but in

in addition to the initiatives identified

above, we run a very successful

Women at the Bar programme

which includes an annual event

with talks and networking (proudly

supported by two female former

members of Chambers who are now

High Court Judges), and members

of Chambers act as mentors through

multiple and as mentees under the

Bar Council’s Reverse Mentoring

Scheme (which involves a senior

white barrister being mentored by a

Bar student, pupil or junior barrister

from a minority ethnic group). We

are also aware that socio-economic

circumstances can be a significant

barrier to success: in addition to

our generous pupillage award, we

fund expenses for mini-pupils and

for candidates who have to travel to

attend interviews

Why did you feel that Keating

Chambers was the right place for

you to start your career?

Wen-Jin: I wanted to practise

commercial law after doing a mini

pupillage at another specialist

construction set. Firstly, there is

a great deal of international work

available, which appeals to me given

that I grew up outside of the UK.

Secondly, unlike other commercial

areas, construction disputes are

scalable and therefore provide junior

barristers with ample opportunity to

be instructed in their own right.

Given the breadth and depth of

its construction practice, Keating

Chambers was an ideal place for me

to begin my career. My experience

thus far has affirmed this choice;

during my pupillage, I was exposed

to a wide range of domestic and

international work and have already

appeared as sole counsel. I look

forward to continuing to develop my

career at Keating in the years ahead.

What assurances would you give

to individuals who want to apply

but feel hesitant to do so because

of their gender/sexual orientation/

ethnicity/background/disability/any

other diversity-related reason?

Lucy Garrett QC: We consulted

candidates in 2020, and this

hesitation came up over and over

again. Be assured that we are

looking for the candidates with

the best potential to be a barrister,

irrespective of background. We

have done a lot of work to ensure

our process is as fair, transparent,

and (equally important) as friendly,

as we can make it. For example,

we redact name, age, gender and

educational institution from our

application forms. I know it is easy to

assume when looking at a chambers’

website that only one type of person

can make it at the Bar. But this isn’t

the case. Many of our members

(including me) come from very

different backgrounds to what you

might expect. Have a look at our

mini-bios on the website and please,

please apply. We can’t change what

the Bar looks like unless you make

that application.

125

Unparalleled Expertise

Sadiya Choudhury, Barrister,

Pump Court Tax Chambers lays

out the advantages of taking a

step up to a career in tax law.

Pump Court Tax Chambers has

been described as “the biggest

and best tax set in London”.

How do you ensure young

barristers are attracted to work

in this field?

As a woman from a diverse

background, how did you end

up as a tax barrister?

I got to where I am by deciding

what I definitely did not want to

do. As a female from a South Asian

background who did well at school,

I was expected to choose medicine

as a career but law seemed more

interesting. When it came to decide

between becoming a solicitor or

barrister, I chose the latter as I liked

the idea of being an independent

advocate. I applied for and obtained

a pupillage for the first six months

in a general chancery/commercial

set as I had enjoyed the intellectual

challenge of the cases I saw during a

chancery mini-pupillage. I applied to

various specialist tax sets, including

PCTC, for the second six months.

PCTC offered me tenancy at the

end of pupillage and I have been

there ever since.

Plenty of people told me when

applying for pupillage that the

specialist Bar wasn’t for people of

BAME origin because there were

so few of them in practice but

fortunately that didn’t put me off

applying. Anyone still hearing such

comments shouldn’t be put off by

them either.

What sort of work does a tax

barrister do?

Tax covers a range of personal,

corporate and indirect taxes such

as income tax, national insurance

and VAT. It also offers a good mix

of advice and litigation. I may be

Click www.pumptax.com

advising a family on the inheritance

tax implications of a will on one

day and on the next day I could

be acting for an importer in an

appeal against a decision by HMRC

to charge customs duty. Tax also

often requires considering issues

arising under other areas such as

contract, trusts and public law with

the tax analysis depending on the

underlying law. I may also be asked

to consider a tax issue which has

arisen in relation to insolvency or

a divorce.

You’ve been a member of

Chambers since 2003. Have you

seen many changes since then?

The biggest change has been an

increase in litigation as compared

to advice, which means that there

are far more opportunities to go

to court even when very junior.

As with other areas, the pandemic

has meant that we have all become

used to remote hearings which will

still take place going forward.

We are justifiably proud of our

reputation and everyone in

Chambers wants to maintain it. In

order to do that, we need to attract

the best candidates to come and

work for us, regardless of their

background. However, there are a

lot of misconceptions about what

practising tax law actually involves.

I’ve lost count of the number of

people who have said to me that

they wouldn’t like to do my job

because they aren’t good with

numbers, but the question of how

much tax is due is usually one for

an accountant as opposed to a

tax lawyer.

We want to encourage candidates

who would not have thought of

applying to us to find out more

about life as a tax barrister. PCTC is

a founding partner of Bridging the

Bar and its mini-pupillage scheme.

We are also participating in the

10,000 Black Interns programme

and support the Social Mobility

Foundation as part of their

Aspiring Professionals Programme.

If you have good analytical skills

and enjoy problem-solving, then

a career in tax law is something

you should think about.

“We want to

encourage

candidates

who would not

have thought of

applying to us

to find out more

about life as

a tax barrister.”

HELPING TIP

THE SCALES

100 years after Dr. Ivy Williams began her career

as the first woman Barrister in England and Wales,

women are still fighting against gender discrimination.

Statistics collected from the Solicitors Regulation

Authority illustrate just how far we have to go.

The idea of The Women in Law

Society was conceived in March

2020. After attending, what we

didn’t know at the time was, the last

in person Legal Cheek event, where

we heard “Legal Pioneers” talk

about their journey in the law. Upon

completing the obligatory and

always awkward networking session

with other students, my friends and

I found ourselves shuffled into a

corner with the same idea bouncing

around in our minds.

My name is Ruqayyah, I am a thirdyear

law student at City and one of

three co-founders of the Women in

Law Society. We started the group

after coming to the conclusion that

becoming lawyers wasn’t going

to be as easy for us as it would

for some of our colleagues. We

are all women from working class

backgrounds, we found that the

information and the advice being

offered to us, wasn’t for us.

The vision behind forming the

society was to provide members

with the information, skills and

advice that is tailored to women

looking to work in the law. The

Solicitors Regulation Authority tells

us that women make up just under

half of the lawyers employed by a

firm – women only make up 33% of

partners in UK firms, 16% of QCs are

women and only 38% of barristers

are women. These are just a few

examples of gender disparity in

the legal sector.

When we started, there were three

of us and a lot of people to convince

that we were worth their time and

the £5 membership fee (which

for students is considered a small

fortune). We knew that there would

be people who doubted our society,

they made their presence know

fairly early on with disparaging and

misogynistic comments, usually

taking the form of “where is the Men

in Law Society?”, to which we would

remind them that it was actually

called the Law Society or invited

them to start their own society. This

started to subside when we began

hosting our online sessions, students

started to see the passion and drive

behind this society when it was

being translated into events.

Our first event was a seminar with

the brilliant, Kate Mahon – a barrister

turned solicitor who ran her own all

female law firm. She spoke about the

work that she had done, the work

she was doing and how she ended

up with her own firm. We hadn’t

expected so many people to show

up but when 30 people joined us we

were elated.

From there we launched our monthly

“Women in Law Seminars”. These

proved to be a hit among students

and faculty at the university. Friends

of ours, LinkedIn connections and

Women in Law

“Meet your Society”

event

mentors agreed to talk at these

events and inspired many. One of my

favourite instances was when we had

invited secondary school and college

students to join these sessions, our

friend Rachida Benamar had agreed

to talk for us. She was incredible, full

of life and so vibrant, we were lucky

and had a fantastic turnout. One of

the year 9 students who attended

even wrote an article detailing the

experience.

It is truly a pleasure to be able to

have bought these experiences to

so many aspiring lawyers and law

students, my friends and I are so

lucky to have started this society at a

time where it was really needed. We

hope to continue this legacy past our

third year and hopefully pass it down

to some passionate Women in Law.

WANT TO GET INVOLVED?

You can find more information at

https://linktr.ee/womeninlawsoc

Ruqayyah Ahmed is a Law Student

at City, University of London,

Co-Founder of The Women in

Law Society

127

ARE YOU CONSIDERING

MOVING ON FROM THE

LEGAL PROFESSION?

Perhaps you feel that you are not suited to it or are finding it

hard to manage the pressures. Before you make the choice to

exit let’s walk through the process and consider your options.

REVIEWING THE SITUATION

Before you make the huge, lifechanging

decision to change career,

ask yourself some questions:

• When did you last take time off?

Do you need a good holiday?

• Would you feel differently if you

could take routes to reduce stress?

• Are you bored? Would a change

in specialism or area of practice

help?

• Do you need additional training

and support to help you do your

job better?

• If a particular person were to leave

your workplace, would you feel

differently?

• Does your organisation know that

you are unsatisfied? Might they

be willing to make changes to

keep you?

• Do your skills align with your

current career path, and where will

that path lead?

• What would a career change

require? Could your education and

expertise transfer to a new career?

• How would the global pandemic

affect your working arrangements?

THE THREE LEVELS OF

CAREER CHANGE

• Job Change: doing the same type

of work in a different setting, such

as a more flexible organisation or

even just changing to a different

department or specialism.

• Career Alteration: utilising your

legal skills in a different setting

– teaching at a law school, or

working as an employed barrister,

for example.

• Career Transition: moving to a

new career significantly different

from the practice of law. This could

involve retraining.

128

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

The grass isn’t always greener

elsewhere, as the person mowing

the lawn and starting somewhere

new may be difficult. Remember that

you are a well-educated and highly

trained professional, who is worth

investing in and employing. If you

choose to leave the law altogether,

don’t feel that the time you spent

training has been wasted: your skills

will be valuable elsewhere, and they

don’t obligate you to remain in a job

you don’t enjoy. And don’t make any

drastic career decisions if you are

depressed or experiencing another

mental health concern.

Go and see your GP and ensure

you take steps to feel better before

making major decisions about the

future.

CAREERS COUNSELLING

Be your own careers counsellor:

Give yourself a career “check-up”.

Put together a comprehensive and

detailed personal history including

your professional status, education,

employment, professional affiliations,

marital and family background

and financial needs. Remember to

include all of your experiences in

practice, including administration,

staff relations or finance.

Talk it through with someone,

or brainstorm on a blank sheet

of paper. Your aim should be to

evaluate your career goals, clarify

your values and priorities, and

develop a concrete and realistic plan

any changing job or career. There

are careers counsellors who can help

you identify your skills and strengths.

SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER

• What are your major and

secondary skills, interests and

capabilities?

• What are your strengths?

What are your weaknesses?

Do your own SWOT (Strengths/

Weaknesses/Opportunities/

Threats) analysis

• What part of your work do you

enjoy most? What do you dislike

about your job?

• What do you do for fun? Could

any of these lead to a potential

job or career choice?

• Are you prepared to take a

pay cut in favour of greater job

satisfaction?

• Are you prepared to re-qualify

in another career, with all the

necessary cost, study and training

that will entail?

• Has the time come to go it alone

in that business venture you’ve

always wanted to try?

• Would you like to relocate and/or

have a different lifestyle?

• How does it feel when you

consider that you might be

working in the field you’re being

trained in for potentially 30 or

40 years, or more?

RECRUITMENT AGENCIES

You may prefer to seek professional

help, from a recruitment agency or

professional careers counsellor or

coach to get your CV up-to-date

and as attractive as possible.

You could also explore temporary or

contract employment opportunities

as a transitional option to get you

out of an unhappy situation and to

buy you some thinking time.

129

Financial Services

Finance is where the money is, so from the outside it

looks like a no-brainer that working in the sector will be

well rewarded. However, as with any other sector, a brain

is very much an asset, and to be a success, knowledge,

professionalism and creativity are prized just as highly.

The financial services industry is diverse,

spanning a broad variety of different

sectors and specialisms. Once you have

experience under your belt, you have

the opportunity to move into other lines

of the business. Enjoy problem-solving

and tough challenges that let you use

analytical rigour? Become a Financial

Analyst. Ready to map things out and

think long-term? Get to work as a

Certified Financial Planner.

Despite booms and busts, Financial

Services has remained a highly soughtafter

career for ambitious professionals,

with uncapped earnings potential,

where every entrant is on a level playing

field and where your uniqueness can

be an asset. Each sector provides an

avenue of career development, and the

opportunity to be involved with one of

the most dynamic and forward thinking

industries in the world.

Britain is a world leader financial

services. In 2019, finance contributed

£132 billion to the UK economy, 6.9%

of total economic output. The sector

was largest in London, where half of the

revenue was generated. The UK financial

services sector was the ninth largest in

the OECD by its proportion of national

economic output. After Brexit, (and

after COVID restrictions are lifted) there

could well be a renewed focus on the

industry and the possibilities of what

the easing of EU regulations may mean.

The finance industry is constantly

advancing and expanding. Not only are

the possibilities endless when it comes

to career paths but for destinations too.

By pursuing a career in finance, you

are opening the door to thousands

of exciting opportunities, including

international working and places where

you may not have considered moving.

130

131

INCLUDING YOU IN

AN INSURANCE CAREER

I started my career in insurance longer ago than I care to

admit. Back then in the mid-seventies, the sector certainly

wasn’t as eclectic as the UK’s social or music scene. Those

were the days of the insurance man, and they were mainly

men (you probably won’t remember the “Man from the Pru”

adverts), calling on middle England homes to arrange

insurance, and the somewhat arcane traditions of Lloyd’s and

the London Market insurers.

Steve White,

CEO BIBA

The reference to men in grey suits

was made for those days. My slightly

more youthful colleagues tell similar

stories about joining the sector in

the 80s and 90s when diversity had

only moved on minimally.

Happily, the insurance sector has

changed. There is still work to be

done, but a career in an insurance

firm whether in claims, underwriting,

broking or a myriad of other ancillary

functions is rewarding, exciting and

vibrant.

My own sector is in insurance

broking, the link between the

customer and the provider of their

insurance. The world of insurance is

complex but it’s simple to liken it to

shopping. You might want to buy

a fridge but you are unlikely to go

directly to SMEG. You can go online

and buy it. You may want to see

what you are buying to understand

it a little more and visit a shop, a

well known name like John Lewis or

something more local. My own town

has a little appliances dealer called

Fullicks, which is always great for

some valuable advice and usually as

good a deal as other suppliers.

A similar model operates in

insurance. The manufacture is

the insurance company, with

underwriters assessing the risk,

actuaries and analysts pricing the

cover and technical specialists

creating the policy. Insurance

companies may sell cover directly

to the public but many sell

through insurance brokers – their

intermediaries or ‘shops’, which may

be online or not.

132

Insurance brokers have at their

disposal a whole host of insurers and

policies to choose from and part of

the joy of their role is to help people

find the insurance they need – for

their car their possessions, their

business or for themselves (life

cover, income protection travel etc.)

The insurance sector is really coming

of age. BIBA helps our members

attract the best talent to build and

drive their businesses forward, and

the best talent is diverse. Research

has proven time and time again that

firms that embrace inclusivity and

diversity will have better business

results. If a leader is surrounded

by clones creativity cannot

flourish. Allowing employees to be

themselves and bring their different

experiences, beliefs and visions

to the table aids decision making,

long-term thinking, innovation and

competitive advantage. Otherwise

firms will continue doing what they

have always done.

But new talent wants to know that

they will be a good fit and that their

voices will be heard. That is why the

sector is listening to the needs and

wants of their prospective recruits.

Recently research suggested that

Millennials (and younger) looking

for careers want far more from their

prospective employers than just a

good salary.

When I was beginning my career, I

admit my checklist began with pay

and pension and had a nod towards

location, working hours and holiday

allowance.

Candidates now want to know that

the culture of the organisation they

are considering is a fit for them, that

the core values reflect their own

sentiments on the environment,

community and equality. Equally,

they want to be confident that their

individual aspirations will be met

including skills development and

mentoring and coaching, but they

also want the flexibility to work how

they want and have the opportunity

to develop outside the workplace.

In Deloitte’s Global Millennial Survey

2020* Millennials (born on or after

1981) and Generation Z (born on

or after 1996)** responded that

more companies were doing more

to respond to the need of future

generations with 71% of both

Millennials and Gen Z agreeing that

employers were working towards

“creating a diverse and inclusive

working environment”.

“Two-thirds of millennials said

that working remotely enables a

better work/life balance. Half of

all respondents said they’ve felt

more able to bring their “true

selves” to work by having their

offices at home and nearly seven

in 10 millennials said the option of

working from home in the future

(post-pandemic) — and avoiding

commutes—would relieve stress”.

Millennials and Gen Z have remained

focused on larger societal issues.

“They continue to push for a world in

which businesses and governments

mirror that same commitment to

society, putting people ahead of

profits and prioritising environmental

sustainability.”

All of this, reinforcing the idea that

now there is more to a career than

pay and progression.

Where does this leave my entreaty

for you to view insurance as a place

to leave your career hat?

From the outside, insurance may

appear not to offer much choice.

I beg to differ. As mentioned

earlier, my organisation is centred

around insurance brokers – the

intermediaries that help their

customers to find the insurance

protection they need. So, if you

know nothing about insurance can

you work in it? Well that is the point.

Insurance brokers like any other

business need a whole host of skills

to create a successful business.

Technical insurance disciplines bring

their own rewards. Underwriting,

claims and actuarial functions are

really about finding solutions. Allied

to the need to understand insurance

(usually via training and professional

qualification), there is the need to

present yourself as an authority,

to share knowledge and explain,

sometimes technical, principles.

An insurance broker may have this

technical background, but in reality,

they are people people!

Opportunities abound

A successful broking firm should be

able to relate to, understand and

communicate with customers – and

with their insurance underwriters

that provide the cover. This means

that the more diverse the firm in

terms of its people the better they

are able to relate to those needing

their help and the more successful

they will be.

Insurance brokers come in many

shapes and sizes, some focused

almost entirely on one-to-one

interaction with clients where

empathy and the strength of

personal relationships is paramount.

Others will be multi-department

businesses. As well as having

the insurance broking technical

and relationship management

teams there will be a whole raft of

employment opportunities to appeal

to a wide range of applicants. In our

sector IT is vital and more, brokers

looking to innovate are placing a

massive reliance on online solutions

and even artificial intelligence – a

natural born innovator would not

be disappointed with their remit in

many broker firms.

For the more creative types,

insurance is a highly competitive

market so many firms need fantastic

marketers, communicators, media

experts and social marketing gurus.

If people are your thing, then

consider a role in human resources

or learning and development.

With opportunities also abound in

administration, research, legal and

more insurance can really be an eyeopener

once the uninitiated dive into

the sector to find out more.

Which brings me back to the culture

of the sector. It is unrecognisable as

the world I joined in the seventies

and that is change for good.

There are many organisations and

initiatives that help to promote

inclusivity and diversity. Businesses

and their employees pay attention

to this and rely on the likes of

Lloyd’s Dive-In festival to get

ideas and develop good practice.

There are networks such as iCAN

(the Insurance Cultural Awareness

Network) and ACIN (the African

and Caribbean Insurance Network)

that help promote and celebrate

difference as well as Government’s

Women in Finance which promotes

equality and of whose Charter BIBA

is a signatory. There are numerous

ways to join in with areas of

personal interest. At BIBA we rely

on our members to help shape our

direction and among them are our

Young Broker Ambassadors. They

are passionate about their careers

in insurance and about promoting

the sector as a prime place to forge

a career, regardless of background,

education, or experience and they

are helping create a buzz that means

as a sector we truly are shaking off

that grey image of the past.

* https://www2.deloitte.com/global/

en/insights/topics/talent/deloittemillennial-survey.html

**The Pew Research Centre

USEFUL LINKS

iCAN https://www.i-can.me

ACIN https://theacin.co.uk

ABOUT

BIBA

The British Insurance Brokers’

Association (BIBA) represents

the many interests of insurance

brokers and their customers.

BIBA wants to help our members

attract, employ and retain talent

in order to be able to thrive

and serve their customers well.

That broking talent must reflect

the make-up of society in all

its diversity. To be successful

firms in our sector need to have

varied life experiences in terms

of race, social background,

sexual orientation, age, religion,

education to list but a few areas

– and to be able to show that

they are inclusive and tolerant of

those differences.

BIBA is committed to bringing

about positive change among

our membership, suppliers and

the wider insurance sector and

is committed to embedding an

inclusive, collaborative culture

among colleagues within the

association and to actively seek

diverse representation within

BIBA’s governance structure and

on our member committees.

Our aim is to help our members

to realise the value and potential

of diversity and inclusion, to

promote the approach and help

provide the tools to achieve it.

BIBA is a signatory of the

Inclusive Behaviours Pledge; and

supports inclusion@lloyds, iCAN

(Insurance Cultural Awareness

Network) and the African-

Caribbean Insurance Network

(ACIN).

Women in Finance https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/

women-in-finance-charter

BIBA https://www.biba.org.uk

133

BUILDING A DIVERSE

TALENT PIPELINE IN

A CHANGING WORLD

Ama Ocansey is UK Head of Diversity and Inclusion at BNP Paribas, a leading

bank in Europe with a presence in 71 countries. Present in the UK for over

150 years, today the Group is formed of 10 divisions, with over 9,000 staff.

The business case for diversity and

inclusion has long existed, and we

are seeing a growing recognition of

its importance across the financial

services industry, alongside the

legal and moral imperative to

treat all people with equal respect

and dignity. The message is

clear: diversity unlocks potential,

encourages innovation and improves

financial performance.

It is a message that has, for some

time, been grounded in cold, hard

data. According to the most recent

McKinsey report on the business

case for diversity, companies in the

top quartile for gender diversity

on executive teams were 25%

more likely to have above-average

profitability than those in the bottom

quartile; this percentage rose to 36%

for companies with the best ethnic

and cultural diversity.

In under 15 years, we have lived

through two economic crises with

important lessons to be learned from

both. Following the 2008 financial

crisis, diversity and inclusion were

hailed by many as an antidote to

the toxic culture of group-think

that led to catastrophic failures of

risk management and a resulting

recession that led to disproportionate

economic and social impacts on

minority groups. And yet, the pace

of change within the corporate world

remained glacial at best.

Fast forward to 2021 and, once

again, we are experiencing a

crisis with similarly long-term and

disproportionate impacts. 2020

was a year that saw global calls for

action on racial equality following

the death of George Floyd and

the growth of the Black Lives

Matter movement. This presented

a renewed opportunity for Black

communities to speak their truths

and lived experiences – both in

society and in places of work.

134

For organisations, these external

pressures highlighted an urgent

need to take a harder stance

against racism and discrimination,

and look more broadly at issues of

representation and inclusion. This

is reflected in the priorities of the

UK Financial Conduct Authority

(FCA), the conduct regulator for

financial services firms, which has

highlighted diversity and inclusion as

a critical part of building a healthy

organisational culture, managing risk

and serving consumers from diverse

segments of society.

Speaking at 2020, in the review of

the HM Treasury Women in Finance

Charter, FCA CEO Nikhil Rathi said:

“I would question if any firm can

adequately respond to the needs of

these consumers if they do not have

the diversity of background and

experience required to overcome

biases and blind spots”. Mr Rathi also

drew attention to the importance

of looking at how gender intersects

other areas of diversity, particularly

ethnicity. That year, the Women in

Finance Charter submission form

added questions on other underrepresented

groups Last year

the Women in Finance Charter

submission form added questions

on other under-represented groups.

This external pressure is not

limited to the regulator. Clients are

increasingly asking about diversity

and inclusion commitments before

entering into a relationship with a

financial intermediary. And as the

integration of ESG – environmental,

social and governance factors –

into investment decisions continues

to gather pace, investor activism

is not limited to environmental

issues. Many investors are now

pushing for greater engagement on

diversity from the companies in their

portfolios, thanks to the growing

data sets on the link between diverse

companies and financial outcomes.

We are also seeing corporates

and financial institutions using

innovative financing to help drive

positive social outcomes within

their organisations. For example, at

BNP Paribas we recently supported

investment giant Carlyle on a $4.1bn

sustainability-linked loan, whereby

the price of debt is directly tied to

the company’s goal of having 30%

diverse directors on the boards of

the companies it controls within two

years of ownership.

Internally, employees are holding

management to account, and

diversity and inclusion are now

multi-disciplinary. For example,

risk and compliance teams must

consider how they are embedded

within regulatory compliance and

organisational risk. Procurement

teams must look at supply chain

management. Communications

specialists are increasingly involved

in developing a progressive narrative

and shaping organisational policy to

encourage leaders to take a stance

in the public domain. While there

is reason to be encouraged, it is an

uncomfortable truth that driving

change at every level of the business

remains a material challenge.

According to Brightpool research

conducted in 2019, 46% of CEOs in

financial services believe that their

company performs better for ethnic

diversity, while only 25% of HR

directors share this view. Progress

depends on more than just policies

and programmes. It depends on a

deep cultural shift that addresses

everything from leadership buy-in

and career support to the values,

behaviour and even language we use.

At BNP Paribas, we have much to do.

We are lucky to have a high level

of engagement from the very top,

but we must ensure that race and

ethnicity measures in our sector are

raised to the same degree as gender

equality and other areas of diversity.

Last year, an important landmark

on our journey was signing the

Business in the Community

Race at Work Charter, providing

a framework for action on race

and ethnicity; and establishing a

dedicated cross-business working

group of diverse talents to drive

this work forward, focusing on four

main areas: Recruitment, Retention

& Progression, Data and Culture &

Awareness.

To achieve this however, we

need to start by addressing our

talent pipeline, particularly within

our Early Careers programmes,

and see specialist partnerships

as a key part of this. We have

started working with Sponsors for

Educational Opportunity (SEO), a

charitable organisation helping us

to strengthen our capabilities to

attract diverse profiles of candidate,

including those from Black, Asian,

Mixed race and other ethnically

diverse backgrounds. We have also

joined 10,000 Black Interns, a

UK-wide initiative that aims to

transform the horizons of young

Black talent in the UK by offering

paid internships, and one that

demonstrates the power of

collective action across sectors.

We are lucky to have some great

employee-led initiatives supporting

this work, such as B.L.A.C.K. –

which stands for Building Leaders

Allies Careers and Knowledge – a

programme in our Global Markets

division founded by two employees.

It aims to promote the benefits of

racial diversity internally and forge

partnerships with schools and

universities to reach more diverse

talent, complementing our broader

engagement with local communities.

We’ve found that initiatives that

drive progress from the bottom

up, and not just the top down, are

crucial if we are to bring everyone

along on the journey. We also want

to ensure that talented individuals

can progress, and find themselves

on a level playing field when it

comes to moving into leadership

positions. Our focus is on looking at

existing mentorship and sponsorship

programmes within our business

and elsewhere, and looking at how

the different benefits of each could

support specific groups.

Alongside our work on diversity,

we are equally focused on inclusion,

and ensuring that all employees feel

safe and valued. According to the

same McKinsey report,bold action

is neccessary to create a workplace

where employees thrive, even when

companies are relatively diverse.

We want everyone to feel able to

bring their ideas and experiences

to the table, and use them to do

better business. Part of this is

promoting psychological safe spaces

for staff to speak up, to tackle more

overt forms of discrimination and

inappropriate behaviour, as well as

educating on the micro-aggressions

that might make employees feel

uncomfortable.

We are actively working on

improving our organisational culture

and have introduced a new online

forum where employees can submit

questions to senior leaders and

peers, openly or anonymously.

We are also piloting unconscious

bias and inclusivity training. This

is particularly important for our

younger employees, many of whom

are entering the financial services

industry, or full time employment,

for the first time.

A feeling of belonging is something

we seek to embed even before

they’ve joined us. Alongside our

formal graduate recruitment process,

we run informal pre-assessment

briefings, helping candidates

prepare for the interviews and

exercises, and offering tips on

presenting themselves in a corporate

environment. Those who secure

spots on our graduate or internship

programmes are matched with a

buddy from a previous graduate

intake before joining, and we have a

vibrant community of young people,

six employee networks and events

such as our annual Early Careers

Network BBQ to help them feel

included from the start.

Corporate culture is changing,

and the demands of employees,

investors, regulators and society

are converging when it comes

to building diverse and thriving

workplaces. Internal and external

pressures are mounting, and financial

services firms, like other sectors,

must work harder to accelerate

change in the face of a new

economic downturn that threatens

progress on diverse representation.

Organisations must answer urgent

calls to tackle issues as racial

equality that have been overlooked

for too long. Inclusion must be put

front and centre of organisational

culture and engagement. Employees

must be given a voice, while

being able to hold management

accountable for the burden of

real change. We are committed to

transparency, to collaborating for

progress, and to working to reflect

the diverse society we are.

Find out more about BNP Paribas

Early Careers programmes:

https://careers.bnpparibas.co.uk/

early-careers/graduates/

Follow us on social media:

@BNPParibasUK

https://www.linkedin.com/

company/bnp-paribas/

135

Sports & Leisure

The sport and leisure sector is a fast-growing area

of the economy, and offers a wide range of career

opportunities to graduates with a degree in sport and

leisure management.

Sport and recreation is a major part of

cultural identity and development. Sport

is integral to a child’s education and

can also be used as an important way

to develop community involvement and

regeneration; because of this, careers in

sports development and teaching can

make a huge difference to people’s lives.

Sport is also big business. Since the

London 2012 Olympics, the UK’s interest

in sport has been rejuvenated and more

job opportunities have been created.

If you are keen on sport and fitness,

and you like working or training with

liked-minded people, there are many

ways in which you can develop your

social skills and engage with your local

community. You could start by seeking

work experience in local gyms or leisure

centres, or speak to your local Further

Education College about sports and

fitness training courses.

Understandably, every sport depends

on the men and women who actually

compete, however, elite athletes would

not be able to succeed without a

complex support infrastructure that

makes it all happen. Every single area of

sport and recreation requires a wealth

of behind-the-scenes staff, including

coaches, physical trainers, medical staff,

sports agents and referees.

Every event or training session needs

a venue, and these venues need staff.

From local rugby tournaments to major

international events, ground staff,

stewards and ticket vendors are needed

to make sure everything runs smoothly.

Your local gym needs fitness instructors,

delivering group or one-to-one training.

Schools and colleges need PE teachers

to train young people in sport and

fitness. Alternatively, you could work in

sports science, or perhaps take a role

as a specialist physiotherapist.

136

137

FOR FOOTBALL.

FOR LIFE.

The Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) was formed in 1907

and is the world’s longest established professional sportsperson’s union,

representing football players in England and Wales.

The aims of the PFA are to

protect, improve and negotiate the

conditions, rights and status of all

professional players by collective

bargaining agreements. The PFA

has been successful throughout its

history in the challenges it has faced

due to the strength of support from

its members.

PFA Equalities department exists to:

• FIGHT discrimination and

inequality within football.

• PROTECT professional football

players facing discrimination

issues.

• USE football as a tool to promote

equality and diversity within

society.

Throughout 2020, PFA members

have demonstrated a strong

understanding of societal issues

and used their platform to highlight

the impact racism has on both

individuals and wider communities.

The decision to take the knee

before matches was initially made

by Premier League captains

during Project Restart, to show

solidarity with Black people facing

discrimination across the globe. This

includes Black players here in the

UK who are still subjected to racist

abuse in stadiums and online.

This powerful symbol of support

represents the players’ commitment

to anti-racism and is not an

endorsement of any political

position. It is a peaceful gesture of

unity that highlights a persistent

issue that continues to affect players

daily. The PFA supports the player’s

right to take the knee and also

commends the positive statements

from Colchester United and

Cambridge United supporting their

players’ decision.

138

Players in the Premier League had

already committed to taking the

knee for the duration of the 2021-

2021 season, players across the EFL

have been left in a difficult position

following a lack of leadership on the

issue. A survey conducted by the PFA

has shown overwhelming support for

continuing to take a knee this was

able to demonstrate to the EFL and

the clubs involved the information

needed to support the players.

Taking the knee has been a powerful

example of players working in

solidarity for all black and minoritized

groups and has had a far-reaching

effect across the globe on the power

that sport can play towards equality.

Another issue where players and

wider society face abuse is on-line.

The internet has enabled interaction

between our members and football

fans in a way that extends previous

realms and boundaries. It has

created opportunities for players

to engage with fans and enabled

the reach of football players to

be extended ever further around

the world. However, at the same

time some serious challenges have

emerged, and the harms that they

face online need to be addressed.

First and foremost, online

discrimination against protected

characteristics outlined under the

Equality Act should be addressed,

but likewise beyond these protected

characteristics, general abuse,

threats, intimidation and harassment

and vitriol online should not go

unchecked. The PFA want to see

a framework and regulatory body

to protect those online within

reasonable bounds and supports

the Secretary of State's recent

commitment to this issue.

The situation regarding online abuse

and lack of action was marked on

19/04/2019 when, for 24-hours,

there was a social media boycott

organised by the PFA in protest

of the abuse received by players –

calling for stronger and effective

action from social media platforms.

These platforms are used by football

players on a daily basis, including

interaction with fans and commercial

endorsements and partnerships.

The action called on platforms

including Facebook, Instagram and

Twitter to take responsibility for the

online discriminatory abuse received

by our membership and seen by fans

of all ages, as it is often not removed

or reports acted upon to any effect.

The boycott and campaign message

#ENOUGH reached over 90 million

people and clearly highlights the

increasing concerns about this abuse

and the demand for effective action

to tackle the issues that are not

being effectively dealt with by the

social media platforms.

The action was demonstrated by

players and supporters around the

world and received endorsement

from FIFA, FIFPRO, as well as

support and coverage by Sky Sports,

BBC Sport, Al Jazeera, The Times,

The Washington Post, Time Magazine,

plus football clubs including

Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea,

Liverpool, Watford

Supported by players including:

David Beckham; Danny Welbeck;

Vincent Kompany; Jamie Vardy;

Yaya Toure; Jesse Lingard;

Theo Walcott; Marcus Rashford;

Wayne Rooney; Eden Hazard;

Christian Atsu; Gareth Bale;

Gary Lineker; Wes Morgan;

Troy Deeney; Ross Berkley;

Eden Hazard; Ashley Young;

and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

The PFA welcome proposal that will

see an industry regulator underpin

a statutory duty of care making

Internet and social media companies

more responsible for the safety of

their users. Football clubs have long

been accountable for providing a

“duty of care” to participants and

spectators and work closely with

other authorities in football, as well

as police, to provide reasonable

measures of safety and conduct.

Abuse that occurs within a football

stadium in the UK can be effectively

dealt with by the club, police or

football authorities with direct action

and consequence in most instances

that is tangible and measurable.

Abuse online is currently not being

dealt with to any significant effect.

Reports of abuse that are submitted

are often returned as “not violating

terms”, despite language and terms

that are offensive and offences

under the Football Offences Act and

Equalities Act 2010.

The PFA Charity report into online

abuse aimed at professional

footballers has revealed that 43% of

Premier League players in the study

experienced targeted and explicitly

racist abuse.

The PFA Charity’s study, in

partnership with data science

company, Signify Group, and

supported by Kick It Out, used

machine learning systems to analyse

messages sent via public Twitter to

44 high profile current and former

players from across the top divisions

of English Football.

During the six weeks of ‘Project

Restart’, Signify analysed 825,515

tweets directed at the selected

players, identifying over 3,000

explicitly abusive messages. 56% of

all the discriminatory abuse identified

during the study was racist.

KEY FINDINGS:

• 43% of Premier League players in

the study experienced targeted

and explicitly racist abuse.

• 29% of racially abusive posts

came in emoji form.

• 50% of the total online abuse

recorded was received by just

three players, as a result of their

support for the Black Lives Matter

movement.

Nearly half of the players’ accounts

monitored in the study received

abuse that would constitute a

sanctionable offence in The FA

handbook, demonstrating that

players are held to a higher code of

conduct than the people they engage

with online. However, players are

limited in how they can respond to

this level of abuse, with action from

social networks relying heavily on the

victim of abuse to read and report

every abusive message they receive.

The PFA Charity wants to see a

change in practice so prosecution

for online abuse is not solely reliant

on victim complaints. It should be

incumbent on leagues and clubs

to collate relevant evidence and

submit grievances to the police, on

behalf of the players they employ. All

stakeholders need to work together

collectively, to ensure this practice

then becomes the industry norm.

The damning data in this report

means now is the time for decisive

action. This includes:

• Clubs investing in resources and

technology to monitor player’s

accounts and identify and report

abusive messages.

• Legislation that allows football's

governing bodies to pursue legal

ramifications for those who target

abuse at players.

• Social media platforms to commit

to drastically improve policies and

thresholds for online abuse

Simone Pound, Head Of Equalities

at the PFA says: “Social media

companies must do more to address

this abuse on their platforms. The

PFA brought the issue of emojis

being used to send racist abuse to

Twitter in 2019 – the Project Restart

report shows that over a year later,

this is still a major problem. Equally,

social media is a tool players use

to build their brand and interact

with fans – which means clubs and

leagues must have a duty of care to

ensure players are protected while

using social media platforms.”

Following a whole game meeting

with platforms and stakeholders the

organisations committed to working

together to find solutions to tackle

hate and discrimination in football

and on social media.

They agreed that abuse towards

players, fans, participants and

their on-line accounts is totally

unacceptable and will not be

tolerated and perpetrators should be

held accountable for their actions.

Online hate must have real-world

consequences.

The PFA will continue to lead this

work on behalf of the players and

wider community who are impacted

on the online abuse. We would urge

anyone who has been the victim of

online abuse to report to the social

media platforms and police. All cases

must be challenged and we urge

support across society to call out the

abuse online and for social media

platforms to step up and act against

hate and discrimination online.

Find out more about what we do –

http://thepfa.com

139

LET’S TALK ABOUT RACE

UK Athletics outlines its plans for change in the sport

Last Summer, rather than simply

look for a few days of news

coverage and make a token

declaration that #blacklivesmatter,

UK Athletics launched a focused

initiative entitled 'Let’s Talk About

Race', to promote discussion with

the aim of driving change in sport.

For some, this was the first time they

felt able to speak to someone about

their experiences with a genuine

belief that they would be listened

to and their concerns would be

meaningfully taken onboard.

UK Athletics is currently working

towards the Equality Standard for

Sport Advanced Level with England

Athletics – and a significant part

of this relates to tackling racism.

This follows work in recent years,

headed by our Equality, Diversity &

Inclusion (ED&I) team. We are proud

of a number of activities where we

have made black, Asian, minority

ethnic issues a core focus, including:

140

• COACH – UK Athletics’ groundbreaking

photo exhibition in

2017 of the many black and

ethnic minority coaches working

within our sport. The project

was exhibited in numerous

locations around the country

and continues to be exhibited in

various training locations. (https://

www.britishathletics.org.uk/newsand-features/uk-athletics-coachexhibition-heads-to-houses-ofparliament/)

• Staff training and engagement

– we have implemented

comprehensive ED&I training for

staff, and two of our ED&I staff

advocates are designated to

promote and deliver initiatives

around race and religion or belief.

• Race To Work Charter – In 2019

UKA were proud to be the first sport

national governing body to sign the

Race at Work Charter, which outlined

the principles we have committed

to as a sport. (https://www.uka.org.

uk/media/news/2019-news-page/

march-2019/01-03-19-race-at-workcharter/)

• Education – We are delivering ED&I

workshops, such as the workshop

we delivered at the last Officials

Conference on use of language

and behaviours, and rolling out a

programme of specially devised

workshops which will be available

for our partners and sponsors.

All the above has been alongside

and working with the Home Country

Athletics Federations (HCAFs), to

tackle issues of racial inequality UKwide.

The purpose of highlighting

these activities is not so we can pat

ourselves on the back, but to ensure

we are transparent on the standards

we have committed to so far.

And yet, I will concede – this is not

enough and there is so much more

to do.

“This is a significant

step in our pursuit

to drive change

in our sport.

The focus groups

will magnify the

important points

raised so far which

are essential for our

2021-24 Diversity

Action Plan.”

So, to further the initiative we

conducted a series of educational

roundtable seminars and discussion

forums to hear directly from the

athletics family and listen to all the

issues they want addressed, from an

accurate and agreed starting point.

We then hosted a series of focus

groups for athletes, coaches, officials

and clubs, plus groups looking at

our approach to communications,

training and development. Several

contributors from the initial round–

tables have agreed to continue the

conversation with the governing

body to assist in bringing together

a clear action plan for the sport.

Recently appointed ED&I Advocate,

Imani Lansiquot, and Yannick

Phippen chaired the athletes group,

while British Athletics’ Executive

Champion for Race, Mark Draisey,

headed up the Training and

Development discussion. Michael

Afilaka, who has coached several

athletes including a world silver

medallist, and Ashleigh Nelson,

led the Coaches group. Melanie

Anning, who has been involved

in the sport in various roles as an

official, parent of an athlete and

currently as a masters athlete, led

the Officials discussion. Meanwhile,

Marcus Opoku, a level 2 Official

and parent of a junior athlete, led

the Clubs focus group and Sabrina

Pace Humphreys, co-founder of

community and campaigning group,

Black Trail Runners, will chair Clubs

and Communications respectively.

Joanna Coates, UK Athletics CEO,

stated: “This is a significant step

in our pursuit to drive change in

our sport. The focus groups will

magnify the important points raised

so far which are essential for our

2021-2024 Diversity Action Plan,

so I look forward to seeing the

recommendations in the next

few months.”

Donna Fraser, Equality, Diversity

and Engagement Lead at UK

Athletics, added: “These focus

groups are a crucial part of our

work on race, and I am so pleased

that we have several individuals

across the athletics community who

have stepped up to be part of this

journey, either as a Chair of the subgroups,

or volunteering their time to

continue this significant work.”

Referring to how the death George

Floyd sparked conversations about

race around the world, Donna Fraser

commented “We took the time to

reach out to the athletics community

to understand the true feelings and

experiences within our sport.

“The passion and commitment

to make change from those who

supported the programme really

shone through and I thank them for

their honesty. This is the start of a

journey and I have no doubt that the

athletics community will hold myself

and the senior leaders at UKA and

the HCAF’s accountable for the

Let’s Talk About Race deliverables.”

Recently Kadeena Cox has joined as

an ED&I Athlete Advocate and the

RACEquality Network has also been

launched, chaired by Lorna Dwyer.

The headline actions agreed by the

CEO forum include:

• A sport-wide commitment to

address racial inequality

• Embedding ED&I in UKA and

HCAF strategies

• Diverse representation at all

levels of athletics e.g. Developing

a Club ED&I toolkit

• Development & Education e.g.

Embedding unconscious bias /

ED&I training in coaching, officials

and workforce qualifications

• Develop mentoring/shadowing

programmes

• Policies e.g. Develop and

implement a Race Equality Code

of Conduct for officials.

DONNA FRASER

What is your role at UKA?

I’m the Equality, Diversity &

Engagement Lead.

What inspired you to want

work for UKA?

Being a former athlete, athletics

will always be my passion;

coupled with that I have a

passion for making a difference

to others which ED&I embraces.

So in a nutshell this was my

dream job.

How does a diverse team

improve how you work?

A team of people with different

views and experiences

contributes to my work –

having that broad view enables

successful engagement and

interactions with what I aim

to deliver. With that comes

creativity, innovation and

continuous improvement.

What is the best career advice

have you received?

I have two: 1) My Dad has all

girls but treated us like his sons,

he’d often tell us “Do whatever

you want to do and don’t let

anyone stand in your way”.

2) My mentor to this day tells

me that I am too humble and

to “sell myself more than I do,

because no one else will”.

I blame my parents for that but

I’m improving.

What words of wisdom do you

have for the next generation?

Know your worth and don’t limit

yourself on what you can achieve

– if the opportunity doesn’t

knock, make your own door and

open it.

141

CORAL NOURRICE

Paralympic Talent

Development Coordinator

What is your role at UKA?

My role involves the effective

coordination of Paralympic

Pathway coach and athlete

development activity to increase

the number of eligible paraathletes

recruited to compete

and progress to elite level in the

sport. As well as monitoring of

performance for early talent

identification to progress athletes

through the talent pathway. I

have been in the role for three

years, which has flown by.

What inspired you to want to

work in the para team?

My previous role within England

Athletics was coming to an end,

the vacancy for my current role

was advertised around the same

time and after reading the job

specification I applied for it. I

feel that this is one of the best

decisions I have made in my

working career. I find the role

challenging at times but also

extremely rewarding. As well as

having the opportunity to work

with some amazing and talented

athletes and supportive staff I

have also had the opportunity

be a team coach at para

competitions on a global level.

How did you get involved in

athletics?

I am a former athlete; I became

involved in coaching after

carrying out an after school

athletic club whilst working at

a primary school within the

London Borough of Newham.

I now coach an inclusive group

of athletes of various ages at

Newham & Essex Beagles AC.

You’re also a coach, what has

been your proudest moment as

a coach?

As well as winning the London

Regional Coaching Award in

2014. I am also proud of having

two former athletes representing

GB with one winning European

U23 200m gold medal in 2017.

If anyone could describe you in

three words what would they be?

Approachable, positive, genuine.

SHARON MORRIS

Performance Pathway

Senior Coordinator /

PA to Talent Director

How long have you been in your

current role?

Approximately 8 years, but I’ve

had various roles within Coaching

& Development and Anti-Doping

since 2006.

You’re also a coach, what do you

love most about being a coach?

I love creating an environment

where the athletes I coach are

happy, have fun, achieve and

support each other as well as

having great parents on board.

I never considered being a coach

in athletics, if anything netball

would have been a possibility as

I spent many years in the sport.

If it was not for my son wanting

to run 15 years ago, I would never

have been on this path. I am

strong in my Faith and believe

this was my calling.

What has been your proudest

moment as a coach?

I have many. Firstly being the first

black female coach to win Coach

of the Year award at Birchfield

Harriers and having my family

there who have supported me

throughout this journey – having

two young children (now both

adults), a husband and full time

job whilst coaching was not easy

to balance, but because I was

committed I was able to do it all.

Secondly, having three athletes

selected for GB in 2018, and

thirdly, seeing an athlete I used to

coach in an Olympic final.

What or who inspired you to get

into coaching?

My son was a good young athlete

and I took him to our local club.

One of the lead coaches said I

had a good coaching eye and

they encouraged me to take

a coaching qualification, and I

gained a UKA volunteering award

12 months later. I continued my

coaching education by achieving

Level 3 in Sprints & Combined

Events and Level 2 across

all event groups. I attended

conferences and workshops and

learned a great deal on the EA

National Coaching Development

Programme and was one of

the first coaches on the Female

Coaching Legacy Programme

(FCLP). I was able to form great

relationships with coaches, and

they all inspire me. I have also

mentored two female coaches at

my club for the past six years and

with my older athletes they are

encouraged to take a coaching

assistant coach, so hopefully we

are able to create a legacy.

You’re part of the European

Athletics pilot Women’s

Leadership Programme in

conjunction with the German

Athletics Federation. What have

you learnt from that?

It was an honour to be invited to

work with such inspiring ladies.

We have a lot of similarities

within our roles and future goals

and many of us face the same

obstacles which we aiming to

eliminate and make a major

difference. When we see each

other online, it’s as if we’d known

each other for years.

If anyone could describe you in

three words what would they be?

Passionate, empathic, calm.

142

www.uka.org.uk

143

Street League:

Helping young

people make the

move from school

to sustained

employment

through sport

Leonardo at the Street League

Manchester Football Academy

Far too often the world defines

young people as what they’re not,

and what they haven’t got. Not in

education, not in training, haven’t

got a home, haven’t got a job. This

is ‘disadvantaged thinking’, and

we think it has to stop. We believe

every young person has a talent

– we want to stop talking about

what’s holding young people back,

and start talking about what they

can become!

Young people are our future,

and it’s only when we see them

in that way, that we will be able

to invest properly in them, help

them transform their lives and our

communities.

Street League uses sport to help

young people to achieve their

potential and overcome barriers

to employment and educational

achievement whilst inspiring them

to adopt healthy and active lives.

Street League’s aim is to end youth

unemployment in the UK and we do

this by supporting young people to

move into work, and alongside them

and their employers to keep them in

sustainable employment.

With one in seven young people

unemployed in the UK today, youth

unemployment can cause significant

physical, mental and emotional

harm. Working across 14 regions, and

38 local communities we’ve helped

move 1,656 young people into a job,

further education or training in the

last twelve months alone.

144

Young people are at the centre

of all we do…

Everything we do is focused on

supporting young people to change

their lives. This might be helping

them get motivated and healthier

through sport and fitness, or

gain the qualifications, skills and

confidence needed to move into

work. We will always see the positive

in young people, encourage their

ability and talents and strive to help

them realise their ambitions. Street

League programmes are designed

with this in mind and we believe

investing in our young people is the

ONLY way forward.

We value the power of sport

to change lives…

Sport is integral to making Street

League work. It brings people

together, creating fitter bodies and

healthier minds. We believe sport

teaches key skills such as discipline,

communication and teamwork and

is one of the most powerful tools for

building friendships and getting to

know people.

The Street League programme

We offer a variety of structured

programmes to meet the needs of

young people these range from;

• 8-week Employability & Personal

Development Programme.

• 20-week Functional Skills

Programme up to Level 2

(equivalent of a grade 4 at GCSE).

• Progressions Hubs these are one

to one sessions solely focused

on supporting individuals into

employment education & training.

• Street Football is a session that

is delivered twice a week in every

region and a great opportunity for

young people to meet the team

and find out more about the Street

Leagues programmes.

Sessions are delivered face to face

and online in the ever changing and

challenging climate, everyday is

different where each person on the

programme will learn and develop

new skills along with obtaining a

certified & accredited qualification.

The support doesn’t stop there our

Aftercare Coordinators ensure every

young person is supported for up to

twelve months after completing their

programme, this support has proven

a huge success and is a key part of

all of our programmes.

We have invested heavily in our ICT

resources during the Coronavirus

pandemic ensuring all our young

people can access our services from

home where restrictions apply.

Who we work with

We work with young people from

a range of backgrounds, primarily

from disadvantaged communities.

Whether unemployed due to lack

of qualifications, low confidence or

self-esteem, mental health issues,

crime or gang involvement, learning

difficulties or care responsibilities –

Street League graduate Chinedu with former England player

and TV presenter, Dion Dublin

Klaudia at her new job with call centre Rightio, Birmingham

young people join our programme

for a number of reasons. At Street

League, we truly believe there is no

one size fits all approach.

Where our young people end up

Street League participants end up in

a variety of destinations dependent

on their interest. Our top three

industries last year, where young

people secured a job, were retail,

hospitality and customer service but

we also see a number of participants

go into construction, warehousing,

call centres, offices, sports and the

health and beauty industry. Some

young people will want us to help

them get into college, university or

find an apprenticeship that’s right

for them. We listen to and work

with each young person to develop

a plan that works for them – their

expectations, needs and goals.

Where the Street League

Programmes are delivered?

We deliver our services across

England and Scotland, the regions

are listed below and contact details

for all of the regions can be found

on the Street League website.

• Ayrshire

• Birmingham

• Clyde West

• Dunbartonshire

• Dundee

• Glasgow

• Lanarkshire

• Leeds

• Liverpool

• London

• Manchester

• Sheffield

How do I get involved?

Visit www.streetleague.co.uk

where you can sign up directly at

www.streetleague.co.uk/forms/

join-a-free-programme or read

our case studies and FAQs to

find out more.

A member of our team will be in

touch once we have received your

submission. For more details follow

us on our social media channels,

www.facebook.com/streetleagueuk/

@street_league

streetleagueuk

CASE STUDIES:

Leonardo Ambrosio

19-year-old Leonardo from

Manchester arrived in the UK

in 2013 from Iran. His struggles

with the language meant he had

difficulty finding employment, “At

that time Street League welcomed

me in, even with my lack of

communication. They let me play

football every day, showed me

what to do and said they would

help me achieve what I wanted.”

Now working with the National

Football Museum, Leonardo further

says “I trust Street League and it

has had a massive influence in what

I am achieving now. My full time

job has given me stability and I

would recommend anyone in this

situation to get involved with

Street League – they can help you

achieve what you want.”

Chinedu Ubaknma

Chinedu, 23, from South London

was struggling to hold down a job

before he joined a Street League

programme. His main focus had

always been to play football, with

the hopes of becoming professional

but he struggled with confidence

and belief in himself. He doubted

himself and his skills and felt he

wasn’t going to accomplish much.

Street League’s London football

academy saw him develop his

professional skills, gain relevant

qualifications and confidence.

Now working in a marketing role

as brand ambassador for Adidas

his first thoughts on Street League

were “I had just lost a job and was

pretty downhearted. This sounded

like it might help me get back on

my feet and wait a minute… I can

play football too?! It sounded too

good to be true… so I checked it

out and then I realised how great

it actually is.”

Klaudia Ruchwal

At 19, Klaudia from Birmingham

had no issues with confidence but

struggled with personal and family

issues at home. Klaudia joined

our dance academy once she left

the family home with nowhere to

go. Street League helped source

emergency housing, working with

her to ensure she was in a better

personal space. Despite tough

circumstances she committed to

the academy programme, working

through days when she was upset

due to personal problems.

Street League introduced her to

Rightio where she received an

offer of full time employment. The

steady income from her job has

allowed her to live independently

and put her in a better frame of

mind. In Klaudia’s words, “Street

League has helped change my life.

I have been able to get away from

home and live on my own and I

have also got into full time work.”

145

Emergency Services

The blue light emergency responders are the visible,

and audible, public face of the three main organisations

in the UK – the Police Service, the Fire Service and the

Emergency Medical Services. But this is the tip of a

much wider support base.

The range of job opportunities open to

you in the emergency services is vast,

from being a dog handler for the police

to driving an ambulance or working as a

firefighter. There are many opportunities

for both school leavers and graduates in

the emergency services and prospects

for training and progression are good.

Many roles require shift work, as

emergencies can happen at any time.

Employment is usually on a local basis,

so you’ll need to find out about specific

job opportunities from the relevant

organisation in the area where you hope

to work. In recent years, there has been

a trend towards recruiting graduates in

some areas of the emergency services,

and in some a degree is now required,

so it has become increasingly common

to study an approved course at

university before starting work.

Always considered as essential workers,

and undergoing a highly professional

and rigorous training regime, these

services have always been seen as an

excellent, if demanding, career choice,

with plenty of chances for advancement.

There are around 132,000 full time

police officers in the UK, 32,000

fire personnel and around 29,000

qualified paramedics and ambulance

staff. There are also a number of

different roles available ranging from

ambulance technicians, coastguards

and emergency planners to forensic

scientists and photographers, media

relations and scenes of crime officers.

There are plenty of opportunities within

all three emergency services for anyone

with the drive, commitment and ability

to carve out a progressive, long and

successful career for themselves.

146

147

FITTING THE BILL

Essex Police have developed a

unique police officer recruitment

drive, #FitTheBill, which has been

a huge success in bringing a wide

range of people into policing, from

increasingly diverse backgrounds.

To further those ends, in 2020 they

created a new #FitTheBill campaign

entitled ‘We Value Difference’.

Nationally, policing struggles to

attract people who are black, Asian,

minority ethnic, LGBTQ+, female

or who declare other protected

characteristics. This is an issue which

many organisations have addressed,

however very few diversity

campaigns tackle the whole breadth

of protected characteristics head-on,

with a clear and explicit statement

of intent welcoming everyone to the

profession on the basis of shared

values first and foremost.

‘We Value Difference’ tackles

diversity and inclusion in its entirety.

It reflects the values which define

us and the values policing is most

interested in. It articulates some

of the fundamental tenets of

British policing with consent, and

communicates them in a way which

is relevant to modern society. Put

simply, it’s your public service ethos

and commitment that matter, not

your religion or your height or your

gender or sexuality.

148

Within the first two months of

campaign launch, the number of

applications from black, Asian and

minority ethnic men and women

doubled compared to previous

recruitment campaigns. Over the

same period, applications from non-

British white men and women (for

example those of central European

or Irish backgrounds), and women

in general, also increased..

Within the first four months of

campaign launch, the ‘We Value

Difference’ Campaign had attracted

1295 men and women to apply for

a job as a Police Officer, 16% from

black, Asian or minority ethnic

individuals, compared with 9% of

applications in the same period the

previous year – an unprecedented

outcome for a police diversity

recruitment campaign.

POSITIVE TRANSFORMATION

The ‘We Value Difference’ Campaign

is changing the make-up of one

the UK’s larger police forces and

is making it more representative

of the communities it serves. The

campaign also won support from

completely new audiences and from

people across all sections of society.

Essex Police has already seen a

4.35% increase in black, Asian and

minority ethnic officers serving in

the county and a 1.13% increase in

female officers in a force of over

3300 regular Officers and over 500

Special Constables.

The methodology, impact and

insights from ‘We Value Difference’

have also been recognised as best

practice and have been shared

with 30 other UK police forces, the

Home Office, the national College

of Policing and the National Police

Chiefs’ Council. In addition, other

forces have expressed interest in

collaborating on future diversity

recruitment campaigns and we plan

to continue sharing insight for the

benefit of the entire sector.

Chief Constable of Essex Police,

Ben-Julian Harrington said: “It’s

been amazing to see the reaction

– not just from across Essex, but

across the UK and beyond.

“Our aim is to make our police

force as diverse as the county we

serve, and we are committed to

doing that. We genuinely value

differences between different

people and communities at Essex

Police – whether that’s your age,

your ethnicity or your life

experience. As long as you share

our commitment to protect and

serve the people of Essex, we want

to hear from you.

“I think the police

should be more

straight-talking and

acknowledge we

need to do more to

attract people from

all walks of life to

join the great people

that are already

part of our team.”

“Sir Robert Peel, the founder of

modern policing, said: “the public

are the police and the police are the

public” – it’s as simple as that.

“We also know that different

personalities and viewpoints can

make a great team – that’s why

difference is so important. We

support officers from all sorts of

backgrounds, those of different

sexual orientations and gender

identities, of different levels of

neurodiversity and ability or speak

different languages. I think the police

should be more straight-talking and

acknowledge we need to do more

to attract people from all walks of

life to join the great people that are

already part of our team. We need

to get on and deal with it and that is

what we are doing.

“I know we can do better. And we

will. I want to make sure that our

officers are the best that they can

be so that they can continue to

detect crime in our county and

keep you safe.”

REFLECTING THE COMMUNITY

Essex Police know the importance

of showing the public the people

behind the uniform, humanising

them and breaking down some

of the barriers that exist with

communities. This is a must to

challenge common misconceptions

and stereotypes of the police

and encourage those from all

backgrounds to consider policing

as an excellent career for all. This is

now of particular importance as the

death of George Floyd in the USA

and the reaction of the Black Lives

Matters movement shone a light on

perceived racism and a lack of trust

in policing across the world.

We have sought advice from diverse

community groups, charities,

members of the public and existing

officers and staff from black, Asian

and minority ethnic communities,

and they have highlighted some of

the barriers that potentially exist

between them and the police and

what can be done to encourage

people from these communities to

join the police.

As a career, policing was generally

not recognised as credible within

certain groups. Asian communities

felt the police offered a lack of status

and prospects, the black community

felt there were minimal opportunities

for black women in a predominantly

white male organisation and those

from different faiths and those who

had English as a second language

thought they were ineligible to

work for a British police force. All of

which were negative assumptions or

misconceptions.

PC Anokhi Chouhan, who serves

on the Community Policing Team

in Loughton, has already used her

connections to make a difference.

Having joined in Summer 2019, she

noticed that “[my team] had little

to no contact with members of our

religious communities. [I] worked

with a local Reverend to identify and

contact religious leaders from all

faiths in our districts and come up

with ways we could better engage

with those communities.”

Alongside Anokhi, over 50 officers

and staff from all walks of life have

also provided case studies, appeared

in selfie-campaigns or have spoken

about their experiences in interviewstyle

videos. Differences in ethnic

backgrounds, socio-economic

backgrounds and life experiences

have shown how the force celebrates

diversity and values difference.

Case studies included officers with

dyslexia and autism, women who

had joined later in life, single parents,

people in same-sex relationships

and those from ethnically diverse

communities. Each person spoke

about the barriers they faced, how

they overcame challenges with the

help and support of the force, and

the importance of difference in the

workplace. These were not only used

in our usual channels, but selected

stories were also used to support

the multi-million-pound Home Office

national ‘Make Your Difference’

recruitment campaign and officers

have featured across a range of

regional and national platforms.

Recent figures show an additional

6620 officers have joined forces

across England and Wales, putting

the Government on track to attract

20,000 more officers by 2023.

NEXT STEPS

The ‘We Value Difference’ campaign

is designed to increase trust, connect

to new audiences and open doors

that were previously shut for many

people who just didn’t think policing

was an option for them. Not only

has this seen more people from

diverse backgrounds join the force

at Constable level, it has seen the

force recruit a new top ranking

senior female black officer, a Chief

Superintendent, which is two ranks

above the previously highest-ranking

black officer.

An independent survey has shown

the campaign has helped change

public perception of the force, with

public confidence and trust hitting

an all-time high.

‘We Value Difference’ has now been

extended to include Independent

Advisory Groups, to not only

encourage recruitment but also to

encourage wider engagement with

District Commanders and members

of the community. Essex Police

are showing they really do value

difference, and the different opinions

on how policing with consent should

work in Essex.

The ambition is to not only deliver

regional improvements, or even to

work hand in hand with multiple

other forces, but for Essex to help to

transform the whole policing sector.

Despite the fact the timing of this

project could not have proven any

more challenging, with the country

has been gripped in the COVID-19

pandemic, ‘We Value Difference’ has

exceeded all expectations. Essex

Police are committed to continuing

activity to further increase the

diversity within the force.

Essex Police is recruiting now.

You can apply here:

www.essex.police.uk/fitthebill

149

THE HISTORY OF THE

NATIONAL BLACK

POLICE ASSOCIATION

In 1990, questions were raised with

the Metropolitan Police regarding

the alarming rate that Black staff

were leaving the service. As a

result an initiative between the

Metropolitan Police and the socialist

support unit at Turvey was held

in Bristol, with aim of encouraging

retention of experienced officers.

In 1991, the Metropolitan Police

Service (MPS) organised the

“Fairness, Community, and Justice”

Conference in Bristol and mandated

that all Black officers were to attend.

The seminar brought together

people from within the Police

Service and professionals from other

organisations who had an interest

and concern for issues around

equal opportunities. Sir John Smith,

the Deputy Commissioner, told

delegates that the main aim of the

conference was to “inspire action”.

150

At this seminar Black officers were

confronted with the realisation

that the issues they were facing in

isolation were being replicated and

repeated across the MPS. Examples

of racism, victimisation and isolation

were shared. Many of the offenders

were serving police officers.

The Bristol Seminars were the

creation of an informal network

based on friendships made during

the two days and the subsequent

“Bristol Reunion” Social Functions.

These seminars sowed the seeds

for the formation of the Met BPA in

1994 and later the National Black

Police Association (NBPA) in 1999.

With the help of the Metropolitan

Black Police Association, the word

quickly spread across the country,

resulting in a flood of interest from

Black members from other forces.

This interest was not allowed to

dissipate and individuals from

provincial services came together

with Metropolitan Police staff for a

number of meetings in 1994-1995.

The meetings were held at the then

Home Office Specialist Support

Unit in Turvey where the notion of a

National BPA was nurtured and the

transition from informal networking

to strategic national communication

network took place.

STRENGTH IN UNITY

In October 1996, with interest

having grown across the country

in the work of the BPA, a National

Communication Network was

formed. This network consisted of

Black staff members spanning the

length and breadth of the country.

It was quickly realised that the only

way forward was to form a national

association, speaking with “ONE

VOICE, STRENGTH IN UNITY”.

The country was then divided into

three regions with a co-ordinator

for each region.

In November 1998, the National

Black Police Association became a

reality when an interim executive

was elected to take the association

to launch. The executive committee

was comprised of 14 executive

members from 12 Constabularies.

The post holders included a

Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson,

General Secretary, Treasurer and

Deputy Treasurer. In addition to

the executive committee a NBPA

coordinator was appointed.

It was to be chaired by Leroy Logan

MBE of the MET Police – with

the Vice Chair, Dr Ali Dizaei, also

from the MET, and the General

Secretary, Robyn Williams QPM from

Nottinghamshire Police.

Home Secretary, the Rt Hon Jack

Straw, gave his full support to the

NBPA voicing it in many public

forums and was instrumental in

the negotiating the NBPA office

which was previously situated

within the Home Office building.

In 1998 Members of the executive

committee sat on the following

groups: • Home Secretary’s group

over seeing and auditing the

recommendations from Macpherson.

• Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of

Constabularies Project review

board on Accelerated Promotion

Graduate Scheme. • Association

of Chief Police Officers Race

Hate Committee. • Association

of Chief Police Officers Race and

Community Relations. • IONANN

Advisory Committee. • Action

Equality. • Her Majesty’s Inspection

team. In addition to participating

in the above groups, members

of the executive also delivered

presentations to bodies such as

Bramshill, Strategic Command

Course, Probation Service,

Community Race Relations

Committee, and National Federation

to name just a few.

In November 1999, it was launched

at the International Conference

Centre, Birmingham, with the

mission statement; “The National

Black Police Association seeks to

improve the working environment

of Black staff by protecting the

rights of those employed within the

Police Service and to enhance racial

harmony and the quality of service

to the Black community of the

United Kingdom. Thereby assisting

the Police Service in delivering a fair

and equitable service to all sections

of the community.”

The definition of “Black” does not

refer to skin colour. The emphasis

is on the common experience and

determination of the people of

African, African-Caribbean and

Asian origin to oppose the effects

of racism.

“The NBPA seeks to

improve the working

environment of Black

staff by protecting

the rights of those

employed within the

Police Service and

to enhance racial

harmony and the

quality of service to

the Black community

of the UK.”

Summary provided by the South West and

Wales Regional Black Police Associations

151

SHAPE YOUR STORY, SHAPE OUR STORY

Policing is a career like no other. Our police officers, police

staff and volunteers show courage, teamwork and compassion

on a daily basis to make a real difference to people’s lives in

the communities they serve.

At Hampshire Constabulary we look for all kinds of skills,

because we know it takes all kinds of people to protect the

public. Problem solving, compassion, resilience, respect,

courage and teamwork. These are the qualities we are looking

for. You could be part of an increasingly diverse workforce,

and develop the skills and knowledge to deal with new and

emerging types of crime, such as cybercrime, as well as highharm

offences like domestic abuse or serious sexual offences.

It’s a role that offers job stability and huge day to day variety.

Diversity is something we welcome and want to increase

because we know that having diverse empowered teams

allows us to understand new ideas and perspectives to

make better decisions to offer an even better service to our

communities. We have a positive action team, and support

groups in force that are here to help.

If you think you might have the skills to serve, why not apply?

KHURRAM’S STORY

Why did you choose the police,

and Hampshire Constabulary in

particular, as a career?

Serving the public is in my DNA.

I have always had an interest in Law

Enforcement, but only recently did I feel

ready to join the police.

In 2012, I joined The National Archives

as a Security Officer. I really enjoyed

my role there, so I decided to take my

career further in the same direction by

joining the HM Prison Service as a Prison

Officer. After working in a multi-agency

environment, I felt that I could use

my skills and experience to serve my

community as a Police Officer.

There were several reasons to join the

Hampshire Constabulary. Firstly, it was

my home police force, and secondly, I

felt that Hampshire needs officers from

152

under-represented communities. Other

forces around the country, especially

the MET Police, have officers from

differing backgrounds, so I felt strongly

that I had a duty to step up and help the

constabulary mirror the multicultural,

diverse community it serves.

How have the skills and experience

you already had prior to joining

helped you in the modern police

service?

I feel that my cultural and religious

background, multi-language skills,

experience in conflict management and

decision making under pressure, was a

massive advantage, not only for myself

but my team, force and the community

I serve. I was born in a Muslim family in

Pakistan. Religion was always part of my

upbringing. I am fluent in Urdu, Punjabi

and Hindi. These languages helped me

break barriers in my public facing policing

role. My religious knowledge helped me

clarify many concepts of Islam among my

peers. This also equipped them with basic

cultural and religious manners of different

ethnic minorities of our community. My

experience from HMPS gave me skills

and confidence to deal with extremely

volatile and dynamic situations.

What training routes were on offer

to applicants? Which did you follow,

and why?

I applied for the Hampshire Constabulary

in 2016. At that time there was only one

standard route to join as a PC.

Applicants go through paper sifting and

then an internal interview. Successful

candidates then get an invitation to

national selection for police offices

(SEARCH). This included English report

writing, maths, role-plays and a final

interview. Successful candidates then

need to complete a vetting, medical and

fitness test.

Once all cleared, candidates receive

an offer and a start date for 15 weeks

training at Netley.

What range of skills have you

developed while on the job?

Being a police officer is not a job – it is

a lifestyle and vocation. It comes with

positive restrictions and limitations.

Officers have the same powers on

duty and off duty. This is a massive

responsibility; social circles, associates,

friends and even activities change.

My job helped me develop interpersonal

skills, time management and prioritising

tasks, decision making with a rational and

role model persona. These skills help me

manage my personal and social life too.

What are the possibilities for career

and personal development and/

or specialising in particular roles?

What are the usual timescales

involved?

The possibilities are endless, it all

depends on what an individual wants to

achieve and how much effort and work

one invests in it.

During the first couple of years of

probation, a student officer will have

an opportunity to work with different

departments of the force and learn basic

skills. This also gives them chance to

develop their interest for a specialist role.

Opportunities to pursue promotions or

even fast track development scheme

are also there for ambitious officers

to go through the ranks. I have had

the opportunity to represent my force

at national and international policing

events. In short, being an officer from

an ethnic background has never been a

disadvantage for me.

Why do you think it is important

that Hampshire Constabulary has

a diverse workforce that reflects

the local community?

Diversity and inclusivity is key to the

performance of any organisation. It is

even more critical when it comes to

policing. Hampshire does not have a

diverse workforce when compared to

other forces around the country, and

it has been reaching out to diversify

its workforce over the last few years.

Efforts been made and measures have

been implemented to promote policing

as a career in ethnic minority groups.

Recruitment events and positive action

support for applicants have improved

diversity in our force, but we still need

more people from all communities to join

us and help us serve the public better.

Is there any special support available

for BAME candidates?

Chief Constable Olivia Pinkney is the

force’s Race Champion. There are several

support groups to meet the needs of

everyone. The BEAM support group is

very active helping staff and officers

from ethnic backgrounds, and focuses on

recruitment, retention and progression

of BME staff/officers within Hampshire

Constabulary. BEAM SPOCS are the

friendly faces, spread around the force to

discuss any issues in confidence.

Have you faced any prejudices

in the workplace at Hampshire

Constabulary?

I have personally never experienced any

prejudice within Hampshire Constabulary.

I have always been treated with respect

and fairness. The Professional Standards

Department deals with all internal

complaints and disciplinary issues.

The BEAM support group also raises

and addresses any issues. Hampshire

Constabulary do not have any room for

discrimination and all complaints are

dealt with promptly and robustly.

Is there much variety in what you

do day to day?

As a frontline response officer, no one

day is the same. We respond to all

emergencies. One can never predict

what to expect when we come to work.

Police officers not only deal with crime,

but public welfare and vulnerability is a

vital part of our day to day role. Missing

people, concern for welfare, medical

emergencies, traffic management etc…

are very common.

What is it about your role that you

enjoy and what motivates you most?

And the downsides?

I enjoy all aspects of my role. It may

sound strange, but as a response officer

we go towards danger and threat when

everyone else is running away from it.

The best motivation for me is to know

that when someone picks up the phone

and dials 999 with the belief that a

police officer will respond to protect

them regardless of their race, religion,

nationality or any other difference.

Policing is a tough and challenging career.

We get abused, we get assaulted and

get injured too. You may have to work

on public holidays and you may miss

your family events, but it’s all in the line

of duty.

“Being a police officer

is not a job – it is a

lifestyle and vocation.

This is a massive

responsibility; social

circles, associates,

friends and even

activities change.”

153

How do you feel you’ve benefitted

from choosing a career within the

police service?

I have been involved with law

enforcement for many years and joining

the police service was my ultimate goal.

I have benefitted enormously from it on

a personal and professional level. I found

my purpose and sense of belonging with

Hampshire Constabulary. The pride and

honour to serve and protect is hard to

explain through words, one needs to live

through the experience to understand

it. Professionally it is an excellent career,

with so much to choose from. I feel more

financial stability and job satisfaction

than I have ever felt before.

What advice would you give anyone

who is looking to join the service?

If you have ever thought about joining the

police as a career then now is the time.

New generations of officers are changing

policing all over the world. You will have

an opportunity to start an exciting career

along with a degree supported by the

police service. To me, it is the best job in

the world. Not many careers empower

you to be the first one to help in an hour

of need. It is an honour and privilege for

me to wear this uniform and serve.

JOEY’S STORY

Why did you choose the police,

and Hampshire Constabulary in

particular, as a career?

I wanted to join some time ago, but I

wanted to gain some life experience

before going into a full time professional

career. I have family in the police and

they had told me how rewarding policing

is, not just the fast cars and chasing down

the bad guys but also helping people and

getting outcomes for the victims of crime.

I was born in Hampshire and this is where

my roots are. Having children, I did not

want to travel too far to and from my

place of work, but also Hampshire is one

of the largest police areas in England and

Wales. It’s very diverse and its support

network is one of the best.

How have the skills and experience

you already had prior to joining

helped you in the modern police

service?

Prior to joining Hampshire Constabulary,

I worked for the University of

Southampton, where I gained skills

in dealing with people from different

backgrounds and effectively helping

me gain confidence in communicating

with students, members of the public

and outside stakeholders. While dealing

with a vast range of duties I also

developed organisational skills and the

ability to work effectively, efficiently, to

make instant decisions, while working

independently most of the time.

What training routes were on offer

to applicants? Which did you follow,

and why?

I entered via the 15-week training at

Netley, rather than the degree route

that is available now. As well as the PC

route, there was also the direct entry

Detective Constable route, PCSO (Police

Community Support Officer), or Special

Constable route. I chose the PC route as

I wanted to become a full time frontline

154

“Diversity

builds trust in

communities

and helps break

down barriers

between police

and public.”

officer. The recruitment team were very

helpful. They set up workshops and open

days that gave an insight into the job and

how to prepare for interviews and role

plays. I also received a lot of guidance

from officers within the force, who

were very helpful with passing my initial

assessment and the application process.

What range of skills have you

developed while on the job?

The skills you can gain are endless.

Every day you are learning something

new, from effective communication,

to being organised and making on the

stop decisions using the NDM (National

Decision Model). I have also gained

skills in first aid and I’ve assisted in CPR

saving a life while on duty.

What are the possibilities for career

and personal development and/

or specialising in particular roles?

What are the usual timescales

involved?

After your probation period you are able

to pursue a career path in anything from

armed response to dog handler to high

harm team. The opportunities within the

force are immense. If there is a particular

route you wish to take, the force helps

and assists you to develop your skills via

attachments to prepare you for the role

you wish to choose.

Why do you think it’s important

that Hampshire Constabulary has a

diverse workforce that reflects the

local community?

Hampshire is full of people from different

background and different walks of life.

Diversity within the force is essential to

represent these ethic groups. Diversity

builds trust in communities and helps

break down barriers between police

and public.

Is there any special support available

for BAME candidates?

There is a lot of support out there. I am

a member of BEAM (Black, Ethnic And

Minority Support Group) within the

force and I strive to help those of ethnic

minorities, such as myself, to succeed in

the application process. BEAM provide

support to those who wish to attend via

workshops and application assistance

and also to progress once you are

member of the policing family.

Have you faced any prejudices

in the workplace at Hampshire

Constabulary?

I can say hand on heart I have never

faced any prejudices within the work

place or from the communities in which I

work. I know officers that have and these

are issues that are taken very seriously

within the force and I would urge anyone

that has faced prejudice to come forward

and not to let it break you down.

Is there much variety in what you

do day to day?

Each day is different, one day I may

be dealing with a theft from a shop

and the next day I am saving a life by

commencing CPR. The job is vast in the

fact that we deal with a lot of incidents

and this is why it is both exciting and

challenging at the same time.

What is it about your role that you

enjoy and what motivates you most?

And the downsides?

Me personally, I love the people I work

with, and the support that I receive from

my colleagues and the higher ranks is

the best I have ever had in any job role.

I get great satisfaction when we are able

to get outcomes for victims of crime and

being a part of them rebuilding their lives.

I also like communicating with people,

breaking down barriers and building

confidence between the police and the

public. In regards to downsides, I don’t

really have any at present. I am still

learning and enjoying every aspect of

my work.

How do you feel you have benefitted

from choosing a career within the

police service?

I feel I have grown in the job; I have

become more confident and have been

able to use my skills and language to help

victims of crime. Policing is a great career

with many opportunities. It is a stable,

respectful role that I love.

What advice would you give anyone

who is looking to join the service?

If I were to give advice, I would firstly say

look into the role and force thoroughly,

understand the role and what is expected

and also think about what you can bring

to the job if successful. I would also say

talk with recruitment and the Positive

Action Team (if applicable), as they are

very helpful in guiding new applicants

in the right direction, and speak to

experienced officers on the frontline, as

they will also give you valuable advice in

applying for the role.

If you have any further questions or

would like to know more about the

roles in Hampshire Police, please visit

www.hampshire.police.uk or email

our positive action team on:

positive.action@hampshire.pnn.police.uk

ON SOCIAL MEDIA

@HantsPolice

https://twitter.com/HantsPolice

@HantsPolice

https://www.facebook.com/

HantsPolice

155

LIFE ON THE FAST TRACK

Sharath Ranjan, Police Inspector, Hampshire Constabulary,

and Co-Chair, Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic Support Group,

gives his advice for candidates

As I sat in front of my computer one

afternoon in 2013 at the offices of

Quote Me Happy, London, I had to

make a decision.

Should I accept the offer of joining

Hampshire Constabulary as a

Police Constable (PC), or

Should I continue with a career in

IT Consulting?

On one hand, life post move from

India to the UK was finally moving

in a positive direction with plenty

of opportunities, exciting projects,

recognition of potential and decent

money to accompany it all.

Why do I need to throw it all away

and take a pay cut to join policing?

Something deep within me queried

– Does what you do now make a

difference to people’s lives? At the

time, that question was the catalyst

for me taking the leap of faith and

joining Hampshire Constabulary.

Unafraid of exploring the unknown

(moving from India to England,

changing careers from hospitality

to utilities to IT), I said to myself

‘As long as job satisfaction

outweighs the pay-cut, why not?’

I joined policing as a 31-year-old

with a passion for wanting to make

a difference to people. Alongside

this, I also wanted to progress and

be recognised for my diversity

of thought, potential and my

transferable skills.

156

FIVE YEARS – WAS WHAT I

WAS PREPARED TO GIVE FOR

PROGRESS TO BE REALISED?

In 2014, Fast Track to Inspector

scheme was introduced by the

College of Policing. The scheme’s

purpose was to identify, attract

and develop the most talented

constables from within the Police

Service who would bring new

perspectives, diversity of thought

and make an impact on the culture.

It would propel a PC to the rank of

Inspector in two years.

As a probationer, I emailed the

then Chief Superintendent, Rich

John, to discuss the Fast Track

scheme. Rich was kind enough to

acknowledge my email and agreed

a meeting where we discussed

my credentials, ambition and his

support. A colleague did quip at the

time ‘You are too big for your boots’.

Taking a ‘What’s the best that could

happen?’ approach

I applied in 2014 – failed at paper sift

– dusted off – took on feedback.

I applied in 2015 – failed at paper sift

– dusted off – took on feedback.

I applied in 2016 – failed at interview

stage – dusted off – took on

feedback.

2017 was going to be a good year

Firefly – A change/leadership

excellence programme had

just been introduced and I was

selected alongside colleagues

from Hampshire Constabulary,

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service

and Hampshire County Council.

I completed my Colour Works

Insight’s profile, had a formal mentor

and worked with a coach. A deep

understanding of who I was and

why I did things the way I did them

followed. I was now able to articulate

ME when it mattered the most.

I applied again to Fast Track knowing

it would be my last attempt and if

unsuccessful, I would be moving on

having given it my all.

A vision was developed – ‘Make a

Difference to People at Pace’.

I passed the paper sift, interview and

presentation with the Deputy Chief

Constable, National Assessment

Centre run by College of Policing,

the Inspector’s Exam and started on

the programme in December 2018.

As the scheme came to an end last

month, it’s a good time to pause for

reflection. You or your organisation

may be a part of similar talent

management schemes and I hope

this gives you some insight to be

more effective in its delivery.

LABELS

Being associated with any talent

management scheme brings labels

and often unrealistic expectations

– ‘Fast Track’, ‘Exceptional’, ‘High

Potential’, ‘Talented’.

What was so special about me that I

got all the exciting opportunities?

Nothing. I had worked hard to take

the step from knowing to doing,

failed fast and often and adapted

to give myself the best chance of

success for the future.

Assumptions that one would

be arrogant, entitled and ‘here

to change everything’ were not

uncommon. There was a time when

a new officer asked ‘Is it true that

if you are from a Black or Asian

background, you get Fast Tracked?’

Little did he know about my failures.

At times, labels can lead to a hostile

environment where focussing on

the development and adding value

becomes hard to realise. Despite

some of the negative aspects, I

often saw this as an opportunity to

challenge those presumptions with

compassion and humility. But that

comes at a cost – one had to dig

deep in to the resilience reserves to

keep on course.

My hope is to have made a positive

difference to these presumptions

and paved the way for the next

cohort of officers coming through

the scheme.

BARRIERS

For far too long, organisations and

leaders have believed that resilience

and survival was a key indicator

of the success of future leaders.

We rewarded our survivors with

promotion time after time which

meant those in positions of power

and management now expected

to see the same traits with those

coming through the ranks.

As I’ve navigated the last two

years in several departments and

teams, a common theme often

seen was the perception that I was

averse to difficult and challenging

circumstances. On the contrary, my

Insights profile showed a strong

preference for the Yellow energy.

I thrive on challenge and problem

solving in a creative and innovative

environment where dissent and

disagreement is welcomed, where

hierarchy and bureaucracy doesn’t

rule the roost and where my whole

self is accepted and celebrated.

Depending on the critical service

provided, need for urgent action,

competing priorities and the micro

culture of the different departments

– a mixed experience was not

unusual or unexpected. Those with

an urgent need for support and

help readily welcomed the diversity

of thought, differing perspective

and ability to challenge the status

quo. On other occasions, the

questioning of ‘Why do we do this as

it’s always done?’ was perceived as

unnecessarily confrontational and/

or at times purposely problematic.

Being trouble – good trouble, comes

naturally to me and this at times can

be difficult to be faced with and had

caused friction.

Broadly speaking, policing is still

grappling with its leadership styles

and how it brings the right future

managers through to positions

of power and influence. However,

the promotion process is now

underpinned by a competency and

values based framework which has

seen a change in what is assessed

and valued. There is an impetus

on identifying transformational

leaders who are creating a nurturing

environment where people thrive

rather than survive.

Transformational leadership is not to

be reserved for the C-Suite alone and,

if true, cultural shift is to be realised.

We need transformational leaders at

all levels of the organisation.

“Fast Track has

been an incredible

journey and as I

have reflected,

I identified a need

for clarity across the

organisations about

such programmes.”

OPPORTUNITIES

Did anything go well? Of course, it

did. I have come to the end of the

programme, that’s a huge milestone

in itself compared to my first

application in 2014.

The labels and barriers identified

above presented unique

opportunities to make a ‘Difference

to People at Pace’. Short stints with

different departments meant that I

had to build meaningful and lasting

relationships at pace. Disagreements,

constructive challenge and debate

led to vulnerability, acceptance and

improved understanding. Identifying

idiosyncrasies of individuals/teams

and sharing my own along the way

has hopefully paved the way for the

next cohorts of Fast Track Officers.

I had the exposure of working on

very different teams. At the time I

failed to see the relevance of some

of my postings. However, I now

appreciate the positive impact it

has had on my leadership journey.

Working as a Sergeant (the first

level of supervision) has enabled

me to understand the pivotal role it

plays in the effective delivery of the

Organisational strategy and setting

the culture.

Fast Track has been an incredible

journey and as I have reflected,

I identified a need for clarity

across the organisations about

such programmes. We now have

an ‘Operational guide for Line

Managers’ that I have co-authored to

smooth the path for future cohorts.

Races will be run; talented people

will take to the track – it is up to

us as leaders and organisations

whether we want it to be a 100m

dash or a 110m hurdles. Whatever

we choose, let’s make sure it’s a level

playing field where people thrive

rather than having to survive.

Looking forward to challenges ahead,

I know that labels will resurface,

barriers will create the challenge

I need and new opportunities will

present themselves.

It is up to me as to how I respond

and my experience has definitely

stood me in good stead.

What will be

your approach?

USEFUL LINKS

National Black Police Association

https://www.nationalbpa.com

Fast Track Training Programme

https://recruit.college.police.uk

Hampshire Constabulary

https://www.hampshire.police.

uk/police-forces/hampshireconstabulary/areas/careers

157

Working together, sharing strengths

Women in the Fire Service UK (WFS) is a volunteer-led, non-profit organisation

with a vision of a society where women and girls are empowered to realise a

career in the Fire and Rescue Service (FRS). Caroline Anderson, WFS Vice Chair,

and Crew Manager/Recruitment and Retention Officer at Devon and Somerset

Fire and Rescue Service, talks about how although the tide is slowly turning,

the bigger picture is not the diverse workforce we would expect to see in 2021.

Inspiring a more progressive

fire and rescue service

Gender imbalance is high in the

FRS, with women hugely under–

represented. Because firefighting

is still seen as a ‘man’s job’, many

girls hold back from exploring this

career. Recent Government figures

show women make up less than

18% of the total workforce – and

underwhelmingly – only 7% are

firefighters. But it’s not just women

that are underrepresented, 5.1% of

all FRS staff are from ethnic minority

communities and experimental

figures show 3.3% identify as LGBT+.

Of course this is only half the picture,

what about gay women of colour,

for example?

Despite the low numbers, it’s

good news there are now more

positive action campaigns aimed

at encouraging underrepresented

groups to apply for opportunities.

Proactive services are leading the

way on this, one way is through

“Have A Go” days specifically

for women, BAME and LGBT+

communities. FRS also works with

and supports organisations like

the Asian Fire Service Association,

Stonewall, and Women in the Fire

Service UK to name a few, helping

create change in a deep rooted

culture. That culture is a white

dominated male workforce. Sadly,

stereotypes still need debunking, as

many young people don’t see that

careers in the service are for them.

Old cliches are harmful – that certain

groups of people aren’t up to the job

or wouldn’t want to do the job just

isn’t acceptable.

Careers for everyone

Leaders and senior posts in the FRS

are for anyone. Women have risen to

the very top of the profession, with

six women fire chiefs now across the

country. We encourage and promote

self-development, empowering

158

women to take the path that’s right

for them. Our Reps speak in schools

and at careers fairs. And we’re often

asked for advice from young people

thinking about pathways to the

FRS – what subjects to take, and

questions about other routes into

the service, like Apprenticeships or

the Fire Cadets. WFS also has a jobs

board which advertises opportunities

from entry-level to senior positions.

To apply for a full time firefighter

position in Devon and Somerset

Fire Service you currently need

four GCSEs or equivalent, including

English, Maths and Science, and

you need to be able to swim and

have a driving license. Many women

firefighters also train to drive fire

appliances, qualifying as an LGV

driver – something people often

don't think of a woman doing at all!

Role models of the future

WFS champions the motto,

“if you can see it, you can be it”.

Our ‘Young Person Role Model

Award’, a category in our award

scheme, recognises young people

in the FRS aged 11-24 years old,

who are ambassadors for equality

and diversity issues. Last year we

awarded an Assistant Commissioner

Ambassador Cadet, who spoke

passionately about the need for the

young to break down barriers across

London communities to make streets

safer and to celebrate diversity.

There are many roles for young

people to aspire to, whether that’s

a chief fire officer, drone operator,

diversity officer, dog handler, driving

instructor, or an engineer or even a

food nutritionist! I was working as a

legal secretary, when I saw an advert

outside my local fire station. I really

wanted a new challenge in my life, so

thought I’d apply to be a firefighter.

The fire service is now like a family

to me. To any young person thinking

about joining – don’t let anyone

tell you it’s not the career for you,

because of your ethnicity, gender,

physique, ability or background.

For more information about WFS,

visit: www.wfs.org.uk

Image WFS UK

(CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Thank you

We would like to thank all our sponsors and contributors who helped us with

this issue. We hope you enjoyed reading this publication and that you found it

useful and stimulating. For more details contact us at info@blsmedia.co.uk

159

keep an eye out ...

Check out the latest careers news and advice on

our new website https://diversityinclusions.com

my future

+44 (0)20 7241 1589 // info@blsmedia.co.uk


MYFUTURE Education and Careers Guide 2021/22

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